Domoda

Always looking for new dishes to eat I came across this West African dish, called Domoda (in Gambia) or Maafe (in Senegal). It normally has meat but is often made without. In this recipe I've bulked it up with some okra, red peppers and black-eyed beans which isn't necessarily traditional but adds a little more substance to the stew.

Ingredients

serves 4

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces

5 okra, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 red pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

200g black-eyed peas, drained weight (tinned)

250g tomatoes, (about 5), chopped

75g tomato paste

250g peanut butter (smooth)
1 onion, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 scotch bonnet, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

750ml water

1 Maggi stock cube or 3 tsp vegetable bouillion

2 lemons, juiced
2 tbsp veg oil
pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

Method

Place a large heavy based saucepan over a high temperature and add the oil. 

Fry the onions until they begin to colour, then add garlic and ground cumin. Continue to fry for a minute before adding the tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes more until the tomatoes have soften and broken down a little. 

Add the tomato paste, scotch bonnet chilies, peanut butter and stir to combine. Add the water and bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. Then add the Maggi veg stock cube and stir in well. Cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the squash, and red pepper, okra and black-eyed peas cover, and continue to cook for 30-40 minutes until the squash is well cooked, soft but not too much. 

Cook for a while without a lid to thicken the stew. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with boiled rice.