Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Milk Street Recipe
Black-Eyed Pea and Sweet Potato Stew (Ndambe)
This recipe is free until September 7, 2022. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.
Both sweet potatoes and black-eyed peas are staples of West African cooking. In this recipe for Senegalese ndambe (pronounced NAM-bay), they're simmered together to make a hearty vegetarian stew. Our version is based on a recipe from Pierre Thiam's “Yolele!” cookbook. Canned black-eyed peas keep this dish fast and simple.
6
Servings
Tip
Don't use neutral-flavored oil in place of the coconut oil. Coconut oil—particularly unrefined—infuses the stew with a sweet aroma while adding richness.
40 minutes
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Fresno chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
3 14½-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
-
1
large yellow onion, finely chopped
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
-
8
medium garlic cloves, minced
-
2
Fresno chilies, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
-
3
14½-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
-
2
bay leaves
-
1
pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
-
1
pound plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
-
1
cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
-
2
tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
Directions
-
01In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the coconut oil until shimmering. Add the onion, 1 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then cook, stirring, until light golden brown and softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chilies, then cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the black-eyed peas, bay leaves and 5 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes.
-
02Stir in the sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoons salt. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Off heat, stir in the tomatoes, parsley and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
Tip: Don't use neutral-flavored oil in place of the coconut oil. Coconut oil—particularly unrefined—infuses the stew with a sweet aroma while adding richness.
In the store
More
Mains
Reviews
OK... I normally dislike anyone who comments on a recipe and then goes on to say how they modified it. But, let's face it, soup in Summer is not where it's at. But make it into a stew that you can serve over rice and now you're talkin'! So here goes. I made according to recipe EXCEPT that I cut the water down to 3 cups, used only 2 cans of BE peas, substituted cilantro for parsley, and served over coconut rice. AND..... the crowd went wild!! Amazing flavors! Definitely a keeper (and we're not usually a Vegetarian-for-dinner Family!).
This was our plan for New Year's black-eyed peas. Well, we could only find one can of black-eyed peas so mixed with a can each of Crowder peas and black beans we had in the pantry. The dish was delicious and we'll definitely make it again. I would encourage you use a BIG dutch oven like the recipe calls for....I thought I could get away with a 4qt but had to transfer to a larger pot. I only had a couple of Jalapeno's so I used them with some Thai birds eye chili's which provided nice spice.
Delicious, healthy and straight forward to prepare. A winner.
The reviews for this recipe are for subscribers only.
Please Log in or join today for $1.
FOR FREE ACCESS TO THIS RECIPE, PLEASE ENTER YOUR EMAIL
Thanks, you’re in! You will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to download your digital copy of 12 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook.
Your First Issue
Made this one twice already and will make it again and again. It is flavorful with depth. Comparing to another African black eyed peas stew (red-red), this one nailed.