Kelly asked at my mushroom polenta recipe about alternatives to mushrooms. My first thought was to substitute mushrooms with peppers. Even though I made maybe dozens of time mushrooms with peanut butter, I never made it with other types of veggies. A few days after that, I was looking in the recipes I saved for my Taste the World series and I noticed a recipe from Chad for Courgette with Peanuts. What a fun coincidence. So, I went out and bought some courgettes and now I have a new delicious recipe on my blog. It’s very likely I will make this as often as I make the other ones, with mushrooms.

I’ve read that this can be considered a base for another dish from Chad, Peanut and Courgette Stew, which needs the addition of some greens and a bit of garlic. That is delicious and I’m going to try it. As you can see, peanuts are a common ingredient in Chadian cuisine, and in African cuisine in general. This must be why I love African dishes.
I served my Courgette with Peanuts with Fufu, as bread seemed a bit strange for this dish. I buy Fufu flour from the ethnic shop, so it is very easy to make, just mixed with water and some spices if I fancy, and after that I need to knead it until it gets smooth. I also love its cute pink colour. Fufu is made with starch from cassava and yam, so it is a naturally gluten free alternative to bread, if you want to cook something gluten free. I don’t have to cook gluten free, so I only make Fufu because I love the taste and texture.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

– 3 large courgettes, sliced
– 100g salted peanuts
– 1 spoon oil
– 1 heaped spoon of peanut butter, unsalted

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Toss in the courgettes and cook them for 15 minutes, stir often so the vegetables can cook evenly.

While the courgettes are cooking, chop the peanuts, as big or small as you like. When the courgettes are softer, add the peanut butter and stir it in, so the courgettes are coated in it. Toss in the chopped peanuts and stir. Leave for a few minutes to cook and the dish is ready to be served.

I did not add any salt as I’ve used salted peanuts. If you have unsalted peanuts, add a bit of salt. When I’m cooking mushrooms with peanut butter I usually add some chilli flakes and I think Courgette with Peanuts would be great with a bit of spice too. I will try it next time.