Recipe: Spicy Ethiopian Stew

Thanks, Becky!

Spicy Ethiopian Stew

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small zucchini, diced

6 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves

½ tsp. cumin powder

½ tsp. curry powder

1/3 cup long-grain white rice

16 oz. thick & chunky salsa (you choose the spiciness)

2 cans (16oz) Garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained & rinsed

1/3 cup peanut butter

In a large saucepot, heat the oil to medium high and sauté the onions, sweet potato, garlic and zucchini for about 5 minutes. Add broth, thyme, cumin, and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the salsa and beans and bring to a boil. Add the peanut butter and stir until combined.

Tips from Gary’s test kitchen:

Before adding the peanut butter, dip out about 1 cup of liquid from the cook pot - be careful, it‘s hot. Add the peanut butter to the broth to make a slurry, then add this to the stew. (I’ve also used crunchy peanut butter when creamy was not in the kitchen cabinet! )

To make a thicker stew, puree a portion of the garbanzo beans in a food processor or immersion blender - with a little water - depending upon your preference.

Sept. 20 meeting, The Brief History of the Dead

Becky hosted us for our discussion of Kevin Brockmeier's The Brief History of the Dead. She served us a delicious spicy Ethiopian soup, the recipe for which she promised to share. For dessert she made coconut custard pie, inspired by her time in North Carolina. I hear it was yummy (not a coconut girl myself, which was my loss).

The Book
We had an interesting discussion of the book. We talked about it for a while, then we stopped, and we kept coming back to it. Lisa had an interesting way to describe it: like early Ray Bradbury, but more literary, with a dash of Stephen King.

I found the ending depressing, but that sentiment was not universal. One thing that was: the chapter about the guy with the placards (chapter 7, "The Patriarch") ground the story to a halt. It was too long harping on the same thing. We also agreed that the story overall could be hard to follow and it wasn't always clear what had happened.

All that being said, I didn't hear anybody say they didn't like it. It's an interesting book that makes you think long after you've put it down.

Other Books
OK, I didn't catch what everybody was talking about when it came to other books. But Ann told us quite a bit about a non-fiction book called Fluby Gina Kolata. It's the story of the 1918 flu pandemic. Sounds really interesting

And this one's for Darla. I was telling her about a book I just started reading and thought quite promising, but I remembered neither the author nor the title. So here it is: Greenstone Grail by Amanda Hemmingway.

Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be at Lisa's, and we will read The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. The date will be either Monday, October 23, or Monday, October 16. Please chime in with your preference.

--Nancy