A Life in Exile

I served for two years as a single missionary in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire), West Africa, where I quickly faced my inability to cook. Thankfully, food was cheap, so I could buy things off the street and eat in restaurants. Once my digestive system began working properly and I settled into life, I tried my hand at cooking, aided by wonderful women who knew their way around a kitchen.

I think this recipe came from Evelyn Bullington, who was the wife of our regional director, Bill. Their house was connected to mine. She was a wonderful cook, and since Sauce Arachide (Groundnut Stew) was a local favorite, I wanted the recipe. Later, I would also use the recipe for this dish from the More-With-Less cookbook. Today, I’ll give you both, as you might want to mix them up a bit.

I’ve discovered cooking is like practicing medicine; it’s not always an exact science.

Evelyn’s Groundnut Stew

¼ – ⅟₃ c. peanut oil

3 lb chicken – cut up

2 medium onions – sliced ¼” thick

¾ c. peanut butter

6 c. tomatoes – chopped

1 – 1-inch piece of fresh ginger

1 t. salt

½ t. black pepper

1 t. cayenne pepper

2 c. okra (opt.)

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. When moderately hot, sauté chicken until golden brown. Remove to a large stew pot.

In skillet, sauté onion slices until slightly limp, then pile onto chicken. Cover with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Thin peanut butter with a bit of the broth and add it to the pot along with the tomatoes, ginger, salt, peppers, and okra (okra will add thickening).

Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove the ginger piece before serving.

More-With-Less Groundnut Stew

In a large heavy kettle, heat: 3 T. oil

Add: 2 lbs. beef cubes, 1” or smaller, rolled in flour (can substitute cooked chicken)

While browning, add:

                ½ t. nutmeg

                1 T. chili powder

When meat is browned, add:

                4 medium-sized onions, sliced

                1 clove garlic, minced

                ¾ c. tomato paste

                6 c. water

                Red pepper, if desired (yes, you want it)

Simmer until meat is tender. A half hour before serving, heat in a small saucepan:

                ½ c. chunky peanut butter

                2 T. oil

Stir over medium heat 5 minutes. Add peanut-butter mixture slowly to beef stew and simmer over low heat 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

My preferences and how to serve

I tend to use the More-With-Less recipe now, and it is a favorite of my sons. I also use chicken over beef almost every time. You can make it to your spice level as desired. It was always very spicy in West Africa, so I like it on the hot side. Serve with rice and top with condiments like you would a curry: peanuts, coconut, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, onions, pineapple bits, raisins, diced apples, sliced bananas, etc.

It’s a great meal for a group, as everyone likes to add the condiments to their tastes. Enjoy!

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Mission Monday post, click HERE, or check out these other posts on food and cooking: My Go-To Main Dish, My Go-To Cookies, Food Finds and Failures, My Go-To Cake, Pots and Pans, Cooking in Ministry, It’s Too Hot to Cook, and More with Less.