Vegan Mofo 2018 Post 18: Daraba

Another hearty, vegetable stew.

Chad--located in north central Africa-- is the 22nd largest country in the world and Lake Chad is the second largest wetland on the continent. The official languages are Arabic and French, but  over one hundred other tongues are currently spoken. They recently had a cultural and national museum open to celebrate the complexities of the country's history and its people (there are some 200 different ethnicities spread throughout).
Southern Chad actually has inhabitants whom eat only plant based. Foods like lentils, melon, mango, plantains, papaya, and pineapple are consumed. Daraba is the traditional vegetable and peanut dish that is perfect now with the temperature dropping. Modeled after Notes From the Kitchen's recipe sans the okra and eggplant, I added sweet potato scraps from previous peeling efforts and callaloo (which you could use spinach or mixed greens). The broth is creamy and rich thanks to the addition of peanut butter-- a huge favorite on every country of the continent! I rarely cook with peanut butter, but these past few weeks have shaped my love for jam's best friend in a new engaging way. And this bowl licking stew is addictive. Although in Chad, they eat daraba with millet, I consumed mine with "buttery" brown rice.

Daraba Ingredients and Preparation

3 cup water
1 sweet potato, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Better Than Boullion
1 cup calaloo (or spinach)
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon paprika
pinch of salt and black pepper

Combine water, sweet potato, carrots, tomatoes, and Better Than Bouillon together in a pot.
Once vegetables are tender, take 3/4 cup stock and mix with peanut butter.
Add callaloo and peanut butter sauce to stew. Simmer for ten minutes.
Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Stew close up.

Stew and brown rice at ready.

Dinner is served.