Peanut butter stews can be found throughout West Africa and even in parts of Brazil and the Caribbean. This Beninoise version features vegetables (some of which I omitted) and lamb, though you can use chicken or beef as well. It was surprisingly tasty, with a novel (to me) but very homey flavor. I would definitely make it again.

I felt, however, that there were too many vegetables vis a vis the meat. Next time I'd probably use only 2 sweet potatoes and 4 carrots at most.

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Lamb Stewed in Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

3 lbs lamb shoulder, cut in pieces

6 tbsp. peanut butter

4 cups water

1/4 cup peanut oil

2 onions,chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 28-oz diced tomatoes

2 sprig thyme

1 tbsp. powdered shrimp

8 carrots, cut in chunks

3 sweet potatoes or potatoes, cut in chunks

1 small cabbage (optional)

4 turnips (optional)

salt

Instructions

Boil the water and peanut butter together for 20 minutes. Let cool and remove fat layer on top.

Brown the lamb pieces in the peanut oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onions and brown. Add the garlic. Add the tomatoes. Add the thyme and powdered shrimp. Add salt to taste. Add the carrots (and the cabbage and turnips, if you're using them). Add the peanut butter/water mix. Cook for about 20 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until the meat is done and the vegetables are tender. Serve with white rice.

Adapted from a recipe at the Benin Gate website.