If you’re not new on these pages, or you’ve read our July newsletter (by the way, don’t forget to
sign up if you haven’t already!), you’ll know we started sharing something new – our favourite
Sierra Leonean recipes!
We’ve decided to start with a dish that means ‘home’ to many of us – one of Sweet Salone’s
most beloved and delicious dishes, one that we all remember enjoying as children. Every
household has their very own recipe, but we often use seasonings or spice mixed that are not
widely available outside Sierra Leone. We’ve asked our friends and co-workers and come up
with this recipe, including ingredients that can be found anywhere.
The main ingredient of groundnut stew is beef, but you can substitute that for some other kinds
of protein – like chicken, for example, or even tofu or white beans if you wish to recreate this
meal with a vegan twist.
You can also add other vegetables to the stew to make it richer – sweet potatoes, kale and/or
spinach are a good idea.
● 500 g stewing meat (chuck beef or round steak)
● 2 large tomatoes, diced
● 1/2 cup oil
● 1/4 cup peanut butter
● 1/2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
● 1 large onion, chopped or sliced
● 1 large pepper, finely chopped
● 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
● Salt
Season the meat with the vegetable bouillon and cayenne pepper and let it sit for for three
hours. Brown the meat in oil, then add enough water to cover it and simmer until tender.
Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, cook the peppers and onions until soft. Add the tomatoes, then combine with
1/2 cup water to form a thin paste, and add to the stew. Add the meat and salt to taste, and let it
simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Serve with rice, boiled yam or cassava, and your favourite
vegetables. To make it truly delicious, add a sprinkle of coriander on top before serving, as well
as some cut-up lemons to drizzle over the top, or some grated lemon zest for a gourmet touch.
