Uganda -- G-Nut Sauce (Ugandan Peanut Sauce with Chickpeas)

BM# 44: A-Z Cooking Series -- Around the World in 30 days

Country: U for Uganda

Dish: G-Nut Sauce
We are going to Uganda today. It is a landlocked country in East Africa. Ugandan cuisine is influenced by English, Arab, Asian and especially Indian cuisines. Main dishes are usually centered on a sauce or stew of groundnuts/ peanuts, beans or meat.The starch traditionally comes from Ugali (maize meal) in the North and East or Matoke (boiled and mashed green banana) in Central, or a Millet Ugali in the west.
Many tribes in Uganda have their own specialty dish or delicacy. Many dishes include starchy vegetables like Cassava, yam and African sweet potato. Various leafy greens are grown in Uganda.Fruits such as pineapple and bananas are plentiful.

Peanuts or Groundnuts are very important staple and this peanut sauce is the most commonly eaten one. It is eaten plain or mixed with smoked fish, smoked meat or mushrooms and can also be mixed with greens.

I saw the recipe for this dish in Vegetarian times magazine. It is a very simple dish with few ingredients, but they all work together to make a very tasty and filling dish. Traditionally this dish is served with starchy vegetables like potatoes or green bananas, but I served it over some white rice.

Recipe from Vegetarian Times from here:

Ingredients:
Groundnut Special Sauce:
Smooth Peanut butter - 2½tbsp
Low sodium vegetable stock - ½cup
Lemon juice - 1tsp
Tomato Paste - 2tsp
Garlic - 1 clove, finely minced
Salt - to taste

Other Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes - 2 medium
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Cooked Chickpeas - ½cup
Fresh Spinach - 2~3cups
Ground Cumin - 1tsp
Lemon juice - ½tsp
Turmeric - ¼tsp
Roasted peanuts - ¼cup
Salt - to taste

Method:

• To make G-Nut Special Sauce: Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small pan, and simmer over low heat for 1~2 minutes.
• For the Sweet Potatoes: Boil or microwave the sweet potatoes until soft. Let cool. Once cooled, scoop the flesh out of the sweet potato into bowl, and mash with cumin, lemon juice, salt and turmeric. 
• For Spinach & Chickpeas: In the meantime, heat 2tsp peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and saute until the onions are starting to brown around the edges, about 4~5 minutes.
• Stir in spinach, lower the heat and cook for 3~5 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
• To Serve: Ladle Sweet potao mixture into 2 bowls. Top with chickpea-spinach mixture and cover with g-nut special sauce. Garnish with peanuts and serve warm.

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