African Tomato Pumpkin Stew Recipes

AFRICAN TOMATO PUMPKIN STEW

Steps:

• 1. In 5-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add onions to oil; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add all spices; stir until onions are well coated. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until glazed and deep golden brown. Stir in pumpkin or squash; coat well with seasoned mixture. Stir in broth, tomatoes and chickpeas. Heat soup to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
• 2. Meanwhile, in 8-inch skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat; add okra to oil. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender and edges are golden brown; stir into stew just before serving.
• 3. Divide stew evenly among 4 bowls. For each serving, top stew with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and generous spoonful of pumpkin seeds.

PUMPKIN STEW

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tablespoons oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin; cut a 6 to 8 in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loosen fibers from inside. , Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.

GHANAIAN SPINACH STEW WITH SWEET PLANTAINS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, warm the palm oil over medium heat, and add the onions, garlic, ginger, chile and a couple pinches of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown and sweet, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a few generous pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and partly cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has cooked to a rich tomato-soup consistency, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse the egusi or pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender to a fine powder, until it just starts to get clumpy. (Do not overprocess into a butter.) Remove to a bowl.
• When the tomatoes have reduced, add the shrimp powder (or smoked paprika and fish sauce to taste), and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, to the bowl of egusi powder until it is a loose paste. Add the egusi paste on top of the tomato sauce, and spread it out. Cover the pan, and cook 5 minutes.
• Stir the sauce all together; it will look like a thick porridge. Add a few splashes of water, and increase heat to a boil. Stir in the spinach, until wilted and tender. Taste, season with salt (or more fish sauce, if using) and serve with boiled sweet plantains.