ALLCAPS COOKBOOK: West African Peanut Curry with Pink Sumac-Infused Rice Pilaf (Patreon)

West African Peanut Curry with Pink Sumac-Infused Rice Pilaf

I’ve been wanting to play around with this recipe for ages, ever since it showed up in The Good Place as Chidi’s favorite dish his grandmother used to make. Now that my favorite show’s final season has begun, it seemed as good a time as any to finally do it, and I had guests to cook for (I can’t help it, I break out the big guns for visitors. NGL IT’S SO MORE WILL COME AND STAY LONGER I AM A LONELY GIRL ON A LONELY ISLAND EAT MY FOOD AND STAY FOREEEEEVER), so it ALL HAPPENED FOR US.

Chidi prefers this with fish, I used chicken, but both are traditional and both are great. You can make it more soupy by omitting the cream and thicker by adding a little flour mixed with cold water in the final stages, depending on where you want your goop slider set on the line from watery to thick gravy. You could probably also use noodles or roasted potatoes for a starch if you felt like it. Goop is versatile.

I will admit the pink rice was a happy accident. I had no idea sumac leeched color like that! But it was so tasty and colorful with the warm golden curry sauce that I would make that mistake again any time. I tweaked the original recipe I used a little to make the taste a little brighter/more acidic to balance the heavy richness going on all over the place and YOU WILL NOT SHAME ME FOR MY SECRET INGREDIENT IT IS LEGITNESS. I would also for once recommend using regular peanut butter rather than all natural sugar-free nut-and-nothing-else PB. A little sweetness really makes this thing. I also made it super spicy by including a whole habanero pepper along with the spices and other peppers, so take that out if you’re not down for THE REALNESS.

POSTSCRIPT HA HA THIS RECIPE IS A BEEG BEEG YOSHI CALORIE MONSTER. I have no idea how you’d make it less dense when so much peanut butter is involved, but hey, it’s autumn, we can all live a little. 

Let’s all hang out with Chidi and ask uncomfortable questions about the ethics of existence! 

Ingredients

Curry

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 red onion chopped (or fennel)

5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2 tablespoons fresh ginger

1 pound chicken thighs or white fish, cut into chunks

1 habanero pepper

1 large or two small chipotle pepper in adobo

.5 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon tumeric

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon ketchup (SHUT UP IT WORKS)

1 lime, juice and zest

5 cups chicken stock

2 small or one large sweet potato cut into small chunks

1 can chopped tomatoes or 3-4 fresh ones (still chopped)

1/4 pound heavy greens (collard, spinach, kale, chard all work)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/8 cup heavy cream

Handful of cilantro, chopped fine

Rice Pilaf

However much rice you need for the number of people you have on hand

1.5 cups of chicken stock for every 1 cup of rice, heated

1 small white onion

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup almond slices

1 teaspoon sumac

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons olive oil or chicken fat

Small knob of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne

YOU PUT THE PEEPS IN THE CHILI POT

Heat peanut oil in a large pot or skillet, fry sweet potato chunks with a bit of salt and pepper until brown on the outside for DAT FLAVOR, remove from pot and put aside. Add onion or fennel and ginger, cook until translucent. Add chicken or fish and cook until just turning brown. Add garlic and peppers, continue until golden brown and caramelly. If you’re using fish, remove it and add it back at the end stage, otherwise it will just disintegrate in the goop. If you’re using chicken, leave it in the pan. Add your peanut butter now and stir to coat, letting it melt in the pan. Add dry spices, lime zest, stock, sweet potatoes, bring mixture to a boil and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, greens, and a little extra peanut butter, bring to boil, then partially cover your pan again and let simmer on low for another 20 minutes. If you used fish, add it back in now.

While it simmers, make your rice pilaf. 

Heat butter and oil in a pot on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for 1-2minutes. Add dry rice and almonds and sautee until the grains go translucent and the smell is all nice and nutty. Don’t burn the almonds. Add dry spices and stock, increase heat to high. Let rice come to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook according to package directions, between 12-20 minutes depending on how much tice and what type you used. Uncover, stir in parsley, and let sit to cool. 

Turn off heat on the curry. Add heavy cream if you want a thicker gravy (and flour + water mixture if necessary). Add ketchup, half the lime juice, cilantro and vinegar (I SWEAR THE KETCHUP MAKES IT) and salt to taste. You really should taste this as you go to keep your seasonings where you like them. Let everything cool and thicken and meld for about ten minutes.

Serve curry over rice topped with crushed peanuts, the rest of the lime juice, and a cilantro garnish.

Revel in the praise of your friends and loved ones, receive points toward the afterlife.