West African Peanut Stew with Collard Greens and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 sweet potato, about 1 pound, peeled and cut into medium-size pieces
• 1 1.2 cups tomato puree
• 6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 bunch collard greens, about 13 ounces, stemmed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch ribbons (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup chunky natural peanut butter
• fine sea salt
• cooked long-grain white rice, for serving
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts
• 2 cups unsweetened shredded dried coconut, toasted

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, chile to taste, onion, and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and garlic are tender, about 4 minutes. Decrease the heat if the vegetables begin to brown.
2. Add the sweet potato, tomato puree, stock, and collard greens, stir well, and bring to a gentle simmer. Dilute the peanut butter with some of the hot liquid from the pot until it is fluid, then add the diluted peanut butter to the pot and stir until evenly distributed in the hot liquid. Season with salt, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes. The mixture should thicken slightly, becoming more stew-like.
3. Spoon the rice into shallow bowls and spoon the stew over the top. Garnish with the cilantro, peanuts, and coconut and serve immediately.