Guinean Peanut Sauce with Butternut Squash

9 Reviews

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 55 min
Ready In: 1 hr 20 min

“This peanut butter and butternut squash recipe is from the village of Cansamange in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. I learned it while I was in the Peace Corps; it quickly became my favorite dish! The authentic West African preparation requires squishing this by hand until the mixture is fairly uniform - a food processor also works. Serve over medium-grained rice. Okra sauce (folere) is a traditional accompaniment.” - by Anne-Marie

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Metric US

Original recipe yields 6 cups

Directions

Place the butternut squash in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Combine the peanut butter, tomato, and warm water in a bowl. The authentic way to prepare this is to squish it together by hand -- but a food processor works, too.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion slices and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter mixture, the minced garlic, the bay leaf, black pepper, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the peanut sauce, adding the reserved cooking liquid as needed, for 15 minutes. The consistency should be similar to a thick soup.
Stir in the butternut squash and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice, and taste to adjust the seasoning.

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (4 total)

Calories
396 cal
20%

Fat
24 g
37%

Carbs
42.4 g
14%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (9)

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sueb

Feb. 24, 2011

"Great comfort food! Good combination of flavors!..." See more"

joy-of-jesus-smileymom

Mar. 29, 2011

"A creamy, subtle-flavored dish. DO NOT USE REGULAR PEANUT BUTTER- the sugar will ruin it! The tomato and squash provide naturally sweet undertones, while the garlic, onion and bay leaf infuse the sauc..." See moree with a savory flavor. I was intrigued by this recipe, and thankfully all 10 of us enjoyed it =) Not to tamper with the "traditional flavor... but I enjoyed this with hot sauce, and imagine that a minced jalapeno sauteed with the onions, or perhaps some red pepper flakes, could add a lot to this dish. Oh, and some chopped cilantro would be excellent too. Thanks for sharing, Anne-Marie!"

lms367

Feb. 28, 2011

"This was only ok. I had planned on making something else when I came across this recipe. I had baked the squash completely. I was unsure about how much the 2" cube should have been cooked anyway. ..." See moreI didn't have natural peanut butter and I used regular peanut butter. That could have made it a little on the sweet side. I combined the garlic, salt, and peanut butter sauce all together. I think I liked it more than my boyfriend did. Thanx for posting this interesting/unique recipe!"

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