My family just loves peanuts in any form: roasted, salted, boiled or as peanut butter or in peanut chutneys … you get the picture! Peanuts (or groundnuts) are also very commonly used in Maharashtrian cooking. They are actually a variety of legume native to Central and South America. India is the second largest producer of peanuts in the world after China. Peanuts are a rich source of protein and also contain high amounts of niacin, which is an essential vitamin needed for overall good health. Peanuts are also antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals in the body caused by the oxidation process. Antioxidants may be beneficial in fighting certain cancers, diabetes, heart, liver and kidney issues...

My Hearty Peanutty Curry is delicious & flavorful. This dish often reminds me more of a thick & rich stew; serve it with some fragrant Basmati rice or naan/pita wedges or even with some crusty bread. Now I have made a completely vegetarian version here but feel free to add in some shredded chicken to this dish if you like. We especially enjoy this recipe on cold & chilly days, it’s warm & satisfying ☺.


HEARTY PEANUTTY CURRY

Ingredients:

1½ cups of cooked chickpeas (canned chickpeas are fine)
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled & finely grated
2-3 small green Thai chilies, finely minced (to taste)
1 medium potato, cubed (a few halved baby potatoes work well too)
1 medium sweet potato, cubed
1 medium size carrot, peeled & chopped into ¼” rounds
1 medium size parsnip, peeled & chopped into ¼” rounds
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp turmeric (haldi)
½ tsp ground coriander powder
½ tsp garam masala
½-1 tsp red chili powder, to taste
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
salt & pepper, to taste
2 to 2½ cups vegetable stock (or water)
½ cup creamy peanut butter (you can add more or less if you prefer)
2 tbsp peanut oil
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

METHOD:

If you are using canned chickpeas, rinse & drain them well. Set aside until needed.

In a large deep pot on medium heat, add the peanut oil. When hot, add the onions along with garlic, ginger & green chilies. Let cook until the onions are translucent & then add in the root vegetables (potato, sweet potato, carrot & the parsnip. Next, stir in the tomato paste along with all of the spices (bay leaf, turmeric, ground coriander powder, garam masala, red chili powder, ground cumin powder, paprika, salt & pepper. Mix well & allow the spices to cook for a minute or so until fragrant. Then add in enough vegetable stock to cover. Bring the curry to a gentle boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Then stir in the peanut butter & allow it to melt into the dish. Let cook for 5 more minutes, garnish with cilantro leaves & serve as part of any delicious meal.


VARIATIONS:

Replace 1 cup of the vegetable stock with thick coconut milk – if you prefer a creamier version of this curry.

You could also add you favorite vegetables to this dish such as baby corn, green peas, beans, cauliflower/broccoli florets, various bell peppers, baby spinach, cooked chickpeas, boiled eggs, paneer or even tofu pieces.