Bean, Peanut, and Vegetable Stew

We all need to keep an open mind about cooking and I'm glad Shelley is taking us on the world taste tour -- it's causing me to step outside my comfort zone.  Actually, first it made me realize I had a kitchen related comfort zone and then it pushed me outside of it.  Don't get me wrong, I love new flavours and experimenting with recipes, but I generally have eaten the dish before or have an idea of how it will taste when I make it.  This tour around the world keeps introducing me to these new and wonderful dishes previously unknown to me.  Today is no exception.

This in another recipe I found on the internet, and it has various names and combinations, but I like the following ....

Spicy Peanut and Bean Stew 
Oil for sauteing -- about 1 tbsp.
1 Large Yellow Onion
4-5 cloves Garlic (chopped fine)
2 cups Coarsely Shredded Carrots
2 cups Chopped Tomato
1 Green Pepper (Chopped)
Spicy Fresh Pepper such as Poblano or Jalpeno
2 cups of Beans -- cooked or canned.
3/4 cup Natural Peanut Butter or Ground Peanuts.
3/4 cup of Hot Water

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.  I used canola oil, but it seems like peanut oil would be appropriate.
• Chop the onion and saute it in the oil until it's soft and starting to caramelize.
• Add the tomato, garlic,carrot, and green pepper and let it cook.
• The spicy pepper is optional and depends on individual taste.  My preference is a whole poblano pepper, but I only had jalapeno, so I used just half of a large one.
• While the mixture is cooking, combine the peanut butter and water in a bowl.  It's best to slowly add the water to the peanut butter bit by bit, making sure to stir it in thoroughly.
• Add the beans then peanut butter to the mixture and stir it all together.
• Let this cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
• This would be good either on its own, with rice, or with Shelley's Ugali.