Groundnut is the common African word for peanut, and Groundnut Stew or Groundnut Chop is one of many Chop dishes; the Western African version of the Chicken in Peanut-Tomato Sauce eaten all over sub-Saharan Africa. The Western African style is usually more elaborate, with more ingredients and garnishes. Palm-Oil Chop is similar to Groundnut Stew: the main difference is that peanuts (or peanut butter) in Groundnut Stew replace the palm nuts (or canned palm soup base) and in Palm-Oil Chop.
Groundnut Stew Recipe
The Western African stew is elaborate, with many ingredients and garnishes.
2sweet potatoes, or a similar amount of yams, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
4chicken, cut into large bite-sized pieces (you can also use equal parts chicken and beef or stew meat)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
4cupschicken broth or chicken stock (optional)
3tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomatoes, or tomato sauce or tomato paste)
2onions, chopped very fine
1garlic clove, minced (optional)
2chile peppers, chopped (optional)
½tspground ginger or coriander
thyme or a bay leaf
¼cupdried shrimp or dried prawns (optional)
1small eggplant (aubergine, or guinea squash), cubed (optional)
12okra, chopped (optional)
canned beans or canned corn (optional)
1sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped (optional)
1small squash, chopped (optional)
1cuppeanut butter (preferably natural and unsweetened) — or — make your own peanut paste by roasting peanuts, removing the shells and skins, and grinding, mashing, or mincing them, then simmer them in a saucepan with a cup of water
Instructions
1
If using sweet potatoes or yams:
Boil or steam them until they begin to become tender.
2
In a large pot or dutch oven fry the meat in hot oil, until browned. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat, add a cup of water or chicken broth and simmer.
3
Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chile peppers over high heat. Add spices. Add the optional vegetables, sweet potatoes or yams, and/or dried shrimp or prawns. Reduce heat and stir in peanut butter and a bit of water or broth. Stir until smooth.
4
Add the tomato-onion-peanut mixture to the simmering meat. Stir throughly and continue to simmer until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
Ingredients
2sweet potatoes, or a similar amount of yams, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
4chicken, cut into large bite-sized pieces (you can also use equal parts chicken and beef or stew meat)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
4cupschicken broth or chicken stock (optional)
3tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomatoes, or tomato sauce or tomato paste)
2onions, chopped very fine
1garlic clove, minced (optional)
2chile peppers, chopped (optional)
½tspground ginger or coriander
thyme or a bay leaf
¼cupdried shrimp or dried prawns (optional)
1small eggplant (aubergine, or guinea squash), cubed (optional)
12okra, chopped (optional)
canned beans or canned corn (optional)
1sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped (optional)
1small squash, chopped (optional)
1cuppeanut butter (preferably natural and unsweetened) — or — make your own peanut paste by roasting peanuts, removing the shells and skins, and grinding, mashing, or mincing them, then simmer them in a saucepan with a cup of water
Directions
1
If using sweet potatoes or yams:
Boil or steam them until they begin to become tender.
2
In a large pot or dutch oven fry the meat in hot oil, until browned. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat, add a cup of water or chicken broth and simmer.
3
Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chile peppers over high heat. Add spices. Add the optional vegetables, sweet potatoes or yams, and/or dried shrimp or prawns. Reduce heat and stir in peanut butter and a bit of water or broth. Stir until smooth.
4
Add the tomato-onion-peanut mixture to the simmering meat. Stir throughly and continue to simmer until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
Serve with boiled Rice and as many garnishes as possible:
hard-boiled eggs, peeled (everyone must have a hard-boiled egg); these are sometimes added to the pot and cooked with the stew a few minutes before serving
sliced boiled yam or sweet potato
breadcrumbs or croutons
sliced fruit: such as banana, mango, orange, papaya, pineapple, etc.
This dish also can be made without the meat. Use sweet potatoes and as many of the optional vegetables as possible for the vegetarian version.
'Groundnut stew' or 'palm-oil chop'
Isobel Ryan
In Black Man’s Palaver (Jonathan Cape, London, 1958), Isobel Ryan describes “Chop”, prepared by a hired cook, as a tradition among expatriates:
…’country-chop’…is chicken curry or ‘groundnut stew’ or ‘palm-oil chop’. The main dish, basically chicken, swims in pungent juices and comes with a heaped platter of rice. These nobly centre a table spread with saucered ‘gages’ [garnishes]: chopped tomatoes, onions, bananas (all both raw and cooked), pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine, prawns and shredded coconut, okra, groundnuts (whole and crushed), powdered ginger, stink-fish, red and green peppers, and chutney — with a big bowl of cold, astringent fruit salad afterwards to refresh the heated palate. Such is West Africa’s own colorful ceremonial contribution to the week’s bill of fare; a meal usually preceded by pink gins and washed down with ice-cold beer and best taken with friends at leisure and slept off in the late afternoon of a non-working day. It is the calorie-crammed Coaster meal which pleases not only the formal luncheon party but its servitors and any hangers-on who may follow the rich hot scents to the cookhouse door.
More about Groundnut Stew in the Rare Recipes pages: