Cauliflower Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

Gluten Free & Vegan

Did you ever see a big beautiful head of cauliflower at the market and think, That looks so good, but what can I do with all that cauliflower? Well, one of the best things about this lovely vegetable is its versatility. Here’s one of two tasty ways you can use cauliflower that pair well together to create a full meal. 

With one half of a large head of cauliflower you can make this super satisfying savory stew. The flavors of India, West Africa, and Latin America meld nicely here in an adult dish kids love too (hey, it’s got peanut butter!). For the other half, I’ve got a savory fritter recipe for you that is pure heaven for the taste buds. 

First up, another one-pot medley of flavor.

Ingredients

• One half large head of cauliflower, leaves and large stem removed, broken into small clusters

• 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and cubed*

• 1 medium sized sweet red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced

• 1 ripe (soft yellow) plantain, sliced into 1" pieces (optional, but delicious if you can find plantains easily. Hispanic grocers have them)

• 2-3 handfuls spinach, Malabar spinach, or tender chard, washed and torn into small pieces

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 small onion, chopped 

• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced

• 1-2 cayenne or jalapeño peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced.

• 1 inch fresh turmeric, minced OR 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp any or all of the following spices: curry, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and/or mustard seed

• Salt to taste

• Pinch of brown sugar

• 2 Tbsp flour**

• ½ cup smooth natural peanut, room temperature

*Any variety of sweet potato works here. At Sueño de Vida, we grow purple sweet potatoes called camote. Purple sweet potatoes grow in the subtropics and southern states in the US. 

**To keep the dish gluten free and up the protein content, I recommend split pea, lentil, or quinoa flour.

***If you or someone you’re cooking for cannot eat peanuts, you can substitute in sunflower seed, almond, or cashew butter.

Utensils 

• Cutting board

• Sharp knife

• Heavy pot with lid

• Small saucepan

• Large spoon

• That’s it. I don’s need a fancy kitchen to cook good food. Neither do you.

Directions

• Prepare all the vegetables as described in the list of Ingredients

• Pour a Tbsp of sunflower or peanut oil into the heavy pot and heat on a medium burner

• Toss in all the dry spices and heat until they are aromatic (20 sec or so)

• Add the garlic, onion, ginger, turmeric, sweet pepper, and optional hot pepper. Sauté until the onion turns translucent. It will all smell very good.

• Add the cauliflower and cubed sweet potato. Toss in a dash of salt and mix everything until all the veggies are coated with spices. 

• Pour in a little water, about ¼ cup, put the lid on the pot, and "sweat" the veggies for 5 minutes. This allows the flavors to develop and harmonize.

• While the veggies are sweating, stir 2 Tbsp flour into a cup of cool water. Mix until the water is thick and pasty and there are [almost] no lumps.

• Carefully take the lid off the pot and add water to just cover the veggies. Add a generous dash of salt bring everything up to a boil.

• In a small saucepan, gently the flour paste over low heat. Stir continuously so it doesn’t stick to the pan. Fold in the peanut butter and keep stirring until you have a nice creamy consistency.

• Pour the creamy peanut butter sauce into the larger pot with the veggies. Add a generous pinch of salt, a Tbsp of brown sugar, and a dash of hot sauce or soy sauce. 

• Add the plantain and spinach or chard. Replace the lid, bring the mix back to a gentle boil, then reduce to an easy simmer. Cook until all the vegetables are tender. 

Once the stew is done, let it rest for at least twenty minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to develop and harmonize. 

This stew goes equally well with rice, quinoa, pasta, or noodles. For the perfect accompaniment (and a great way to use the other half of the cauliflower!), try our scrumptious Cauliflower Zucchini Fritters.

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Kristen Krash is the co-founder and director of Sueño de Vida, a regenerative cacao farm and reforestation mission in Ecuador. Sueño de Vida works to educate and inspire everyday people about permaculture, sustainable living, environmental activism, and healthy living all in the name of living more in harmony with nature to create a better world for us all.

You can support the Sueño de Vida mission today by purchasing our cacao or contributing to direct reforestation.

Thank you.

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