Peanut Butter Stew Is An Unexpectedly Great Toddler Dinner
Peanut (or peanut butter) stews are a staple in western Africa, where they go by the names domoda and maafe. Here, we’ve toddlerized the dish to leverage your young child’s affinity for nut butter while maintaining the dish’s foundational flavor profile—the better to push them to try a more layered, multi-ingredient food that’s also familiar in flavor. Never cooked–or eaten–African food? Have no fear: the process and technique used to make peanut butter stew is no different than that of any other stew or curry. We’ve also provided directions for how to cook the components separately and together, allowing you to decide what your child is ready for, and when. Get ready for excitement either way: it’s peanut butter (stew) for dinner! (And vegetables and protein, too, not to worry.)
- 2 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs or Breasts (use one if the stew is just for your little one and one other diner)
- 3 Carrots (or 6-8 baby carrots)
- 1 small sweet potato
- 1 small Onion
- 1/2 Bell Pepper (red or green is fine)
- Minced Garlic
- Minced Ginger
- 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes (or 3 Roma tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (recommend using a product with low or no added sugar)
- Cinnamon
- Paprika
- Cumin
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- Lemon
- Peel and dice the carrots and sweet potato into small coins or cubes. Dice the onion and bell pepper into small pieces. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, saving the liquid.
- Cut the chicken into cubes, strips, or small pieces of appropriate size for your child.
- Heat a pot or dutch oven to Medium High, covering the bottom with neutral oil. When hot, place chicken piece(s) in and allow to cook unabated for two minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to Medium and add onion and bell pepper to the pot, adding more oil to pot as needed. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, roughly 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes (and their juices) and a heaping spoonful each of garlic and ginger to the pot and cook for another minute.
- Add peanut butter; tomato paste; two hearty shakes each of the cinnamon, paprika, and cumin; two pinches of salt and one of pepper. Mix until combined.
- Pour in chicken broth and return chicken pieces to the pot. Bring liquid in pot to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook at Low for thirty minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Squeeze lemon all over the stew before serving.
- Peel and dice the carrots into small coins or cubes. Dice the onion and bell pepper into small pieces. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, saving the liquid.
- Heat a small pot to Medium; once hot, add enough oil to just lightly cover bottom of pot. Add diced onion and bell pepper, cooking until onions are soft and translucent, roughly 2-3 minutes; add tomatoes (and their juices) and a heaping spoonful each of garlic and ginger to the pot and cook for another minute.
- Add peanut butter; tomato paste; two hearty shakes each of the cinnamon, paprika, and cumin; two pinches of salt and one of pepper. Mix until combined. Pour in chicken broth.
- Bring liquid in pot to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook at Low for twenty minutes.
- While the sauce cooks, do the following: Poach the chicken: place the chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water, then immediately turn off the heat and cover; allow to sit in pot, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
- Steam the carrots: cook until soft, roughly 10-12 minutes.
- Cook the sweet potato: poke holes all over the spud, then microwave for six minutes. When cool enough to touch, either cut into small (and soft) wedges, or mash into a paste.
- Remove pot from heat and squeeze lemon all over the stew sauce.
If serving a full-on stew, place the mixture on top of or besides a small mound of rice or couscous. If serving the components individually, spread pieces of chicken, carrot, and sweet potato on a plate, then either top with dabs of the stew sauce or serve the sauce as a dip by pouring a small pond of it next to the other ingredients; serve with rice.
Lamb or beef chunks can substitute for chicken; hard-boiled egg pieces is also a popular protein choice in Senegalese and Gambian versions of this dish and can be used--along with vegetable stock instead of chicken broth--to keep it vegetarian (though don’t cook the eggs with the stew). Any nut butter can be used here, too, and additional green (i.e., spinach, kale) or starchier gourd (i.e., pumpkin, squash) vegetables can be added to the pot at the start of the simmering process.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
