West African peanut curry with durban masala

Inspired by the peanut soups and stews of West Africa, this recipe foregoes the usual fiery Scotch bonnet chillies for a twist from South Africa’s Eastern Cape – a Durban curry masala spice blend. The heat comes mainly from the cayenne pepper, so use less for a milder kick. For a hearty soup, simply add more water at the end of cooking.

Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes

For the Durban masala blend

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• seeds of 5 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp ground ginger

For the curry

• 4 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
• 500ml (16fl oz) water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 2 parsnips, peeled
• 1 swede or turnip, about 500g (1lb 2oz)
• 4 baby aubergines or white garden egg aubergines (optional)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 400g (14oz) mushrooms, wild, cultivated, or mixed
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 500ml (16fl oz) vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste

For the Durban masala, grind the whole spices and combine with the cayenne pepper and ginger. Set aside.

Prepare the peanut butter by blending it with a cup of water in a food processer. Once it is smooth, pour into a pan and stir in the remaining water. Simmer on a low heat for about 15 minutes, until oil starts to gather on the surface.

Chop the carrots and parsnips into 2–3cm (1in) chunks. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan. Add the vegetables and fry over a medium–high heat for 10–15 minutes, only stirring occasionally, until the sides brown and caramelize. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the onions and spices. Sauté over a medium heat for a few minutes, then add the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. Increase the heat to the maximum, add the mushrooms, and fry for 3 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock, peanut sauce, and vegetables to the pan. Chop the aubergines (if using) into 2–3cm (1in) chunks and add. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Check for seasoning and add salt or pepper. Remove any large whole spices and serve the dish with sticky rice. Alternatively, to serve as a soup, add water and bring back to the boil.