Can it be true ?, they all cried: she’s posting ANOTHER recipe ? What is wrong with this woman ? – why can she not be stopped ?!

Heh heh .. because I’m on a roll re cooking at this time. But I will have to stop as of tomorrow, for there is zero space in my freezer. (And to be brutally honest, I don’t even know if what’s already in there will all re-heat entirely edibly ! But I’m pretty confident ..)

Today I present for your delectation the recipe I didn’t make when I said I would, but only the night before last ..

Oh, before I forget:

THESE are shallots !

Whereas these are spring onions,

SLIGHTLY SPICY PEANUT STEW

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium-size eggplant, peeled and cut into ½” dice
• 1 tsp salt, more to taste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp chilli
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (use peanut if you have it)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 5cm ginger, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 long red chilli, sliced small
• 1 onion, chopped
• smallest can tomato paste
• can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup unsweetened peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
• 1 large-ish zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise, then sliced ¾”
• 2 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
• ½ cup coarsely-chopped parsley, plus some for garnish

PREPARATION

• In a large pot, heat 3 tbsps oil, medium-high heat. Add shallots and fry, stirring often, until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a bowl, leaving oil in pot.
• Raise heat to high and add eggplant (probably some more oil as well). Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shallots.
• Add oil to pot and heat over medium-high: add ginger and chilli and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add all spices and cook, stirring, 30 seconds more.
• Add onion and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add diced tomatoes, stock, eggplant and shallots and a sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
• Place peanut butter in a medium bowl, add one or two ladles of the hot liquid, and stir until emulsified, then pour mixture back in.
• Reduce heat to a simmer, add zucchini, cover and cook 10—15’, until it’s tender.
• Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Let cool slightly and taste; add salt if necessary.
• Serve in bowls with rice, garnished with parsley (and chopped peanuts, if you like).

I must be honest about this recipe: it is not the easiest or least finicky I’ve made. I did promise only to post simple recipes, amongst which this one isn’t entitled to be listed.

HOWEVER ! Whilst I did not even eat it on the night it was cooked, but left it sitting there overnight and then divided it into containers and glommed the contents of one down last night, I am here to tell you that it is REALLY, REALLY DELICIOUS !!

So I s’pose that boils down to saying that the end justified the means; or, basically, that it was very much worth it !    🙂