curried groundnut stew recipe

I got this one out of Cheap, Fast, Good!, a fantastic cookbook I received for my birthday.  It tastes so rich and hearty but it's very healthy too.  It's also perfect for a chilly evening, especially when you don't have insulation in the walls.

1 1/3 cups uncooked rice (brown rice works well in this recipe)
1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons veggie oil
1 large onion
3 medium-sized carrots
1 clove minced fresh garlic
1 cup chicken or veggie broth
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup Thai Style Peanut Sauce (recipe follows ingredients list)
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
(optional) 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

Peanut Sauce
4 cloves fresh garlic
 juice of 1/2 lime or several good squirts of lime juice
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons veggie oil
4 teaspoons ginger (bottled or fresh)
1 tablespoon red wine or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Peel garlic and drop, one clove at a time, through the opening in the lid on the blender and chop fine.

Add the remaining ingredients along with 1/2 cup water and blend until just combined.  Makes about 2 cups.

Stew Recipe
Prepare rice (2 2/3 cups water and 1 1/3 cups rice).  Add a little extra water if preparing brown rice.

Defrost chicken, if necessary.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Peel and chop onion and add to skillet.  Next, chop carrots to 1/4 inch thick, crosswise, and add to skillet.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to skillet, cook chicken until no longer pink inside.  Add garlic to skillet as chicken cooks.

When the chicken is cooked through, add broth and tomato paste and stir until combined.  Add peanut sauce and curry powder.  Add peas and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve by spooning chicken, veggies, and rice on top of rice and topping with peanuts (optional).