Kale and Smoked Meat in Peanut Sauce

This dish may sound unusual, but trust me, it will soon become your new favorite comfort food. Once again, I'm taking inspiration from my Eastern Ugandan roots to bring you this savory, smoky delight packed with umami flavor. Peanut sauces are common all over Africa, although in Uganda we tend not to mix too many elements in the same dish, so usually this would be two separate dishes. The most similar Ugandan dish to this recipe I can think of is called ebou in Teso, and boo in parts of Northern Uganda, and is cow pea leaves cooked in the same style. However, those are basically impossible to find where I am, so I settle for other leafy greens instead. I chose kale because I think it's slightly bitter flavor cuts through the richness of the meat and the peanut sauce. I used smoked beef neck bones for this recipe, however, you can use smoked fish, chicken, turkey, etc, even mushrooms. This particular recipe is not spicy, but you can add chilies or hot sauce to it, although I would recommend trying it as is at first. I would suggest adjusting the water based on how thick you like your sauces, and the cook time will also depend on the tenderness of your meat. Another tip is to add the salt gradually, because if you are buying pre-smoked meat, it may already be salted, and the baking soda also adds saltiness to the dish. This dish is best paired with atap or sweet potatoes.

Prep time: 20 minutes Servings: 4

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes depending on how long it takes to get the meat tender.

Ingredients

1 lb Smoked meat of choice

3 1/4 Cups Kale

1 3/4 Cups Water

1/2 Cups Peanut Butter

1/2 Cups Medium dice onion

1/4 Cups Tomatoes, diced

1 Tbs Curry Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tbs Vegetable oil

To taste Salt

I had mixed in some spinach that day, hence the greener color

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan or rondeau, heat the cooking oil on medium heat.

2. When it is hot enough, and you can form ribbons in the oil, stir in onions, and cook the onions until they are translucent.

3. Add the tomatoes, and cook until slightly mashed, then add curry powder, and a sprinkle of salt to season, the add kale.

4. Add peanut butter to the pot after cooking kale for about 3 minutes, and stir properly to incorporate with the tomato mixture, then pour in the water, and mix with everything in the pot.

5. Let the water come to a simmer, then add the meat,and baking soda, stir, and cover.

6. Boil the food while covered for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender, and there is a bit of oil. Stir it about every 7 minutes to prevent the peanut butter and tomatoes from sinking to the bottom and burning. Taste and season as you go.

7. Serve while hot and enjoy!