Peanut

Cacahuète

What it is

Not a nut at all but a legume that buries its own pods underground. Born in South America, carried to Africa, it came back to the Americas in slave-ship provisions; George Washington Carver later catalogued three hundred uses for it, rebuilding Southern farming on its back.

In the kitchen

Ground with a little of its own oil, it becomes sauce for half of West African and Southeast Asian cooking — chili and lime are its best friends.

Goes with

Chili pepper Coconut milk Soy sauce Dark chocolate Ginger

Same species

Peanut oil

Also used with

Banana blossom Brown rice syrup Facing-heaven chilli Chile de árbol Chile piquín Fish mint (diếp cá)

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