Peel the plantains and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Wash the okra and cut it into pieces as well.
Finely dice the onion and grate the ginger. Cook both in olive oil in a large pan until soft and translucent, then stir in the red pepper paste.
Pour in the vegetable stock and whisk in the peanut butter until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
Add the plantains and okra to the pan. Let the stew simmer gently until the plantains are soft and the sauce thickens slightly.
Season the stew with salt and a little chilli. Stir everything well once more so the flavours come together.
Serve the West African peanut stew hot. Fresh coriander or a squeeze of lime goes well with it if you like.
Good to know
A stew like this has something comforting about it. It's creamy, spicy and pleasantly simple. Just right when you want something warm with depth on your spoon.
Swaps
Plantains → sweet potatoes (more beta-carotene). Okra → green beans (similar fibre, milder flavour). Peanut butter → almond butter (also provides unsaturated fats and some vitamin E). Olive oil → avocado oil (stable at high heat and free from seed oils).
Allergens
Contains peanuts as the main allergen. For children, serve it mildly spiced; generally suitable during pregnancy, as long as all the ingredients are fresh and there's no peanut allergy.
