Heat the coconut oil, ghee or rendered animal fat in a large stainless-steel stockpot over medium heat. Add the sliced fresh vegetables, but not the cabbage, and 1/2 teaspoon of the mineral salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and look glossy.

Add the ginger, garlic and optional hot pepper. Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. The garlic should soften and smell mellow without browning.

Add the properly prepared homemade peanut butter. Stir until it loosens and is mostly mixed through the vegetables.

Pour in 2 cups of the stock and whisk until the sauce is smooth with no peanut-butter streaks. Add the remaining 2 cups stock and the cooked squash. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Pile the cabbage strips on top, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, until the cabbage has begun to collapse.

Uncover and fold the cabbage into the sauce. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes, until the cabbage ribbons are soft and pliable rather than crisp.

For raw prawns, cubed fish, thinly sliced chicken or thinly sliced beef, fold the selected 1-pound protein into the simmering stew. Cover and poach for about 5 minutes, continuing only as needed until cooked through: prawns turn pink and opaque, fish flakes when pressed, and chicken reaches 165°F in the center. If using cooked shredded chicken or cooked whole prawns, fold them in only long enough to heat through.

Turn off the heat. Stir in the coconut aminos, fresh lime juice and fermented fish sauce.

Ladle into bowls and finish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onion. For a gentler family bowl, omit the hot pepper and reduce the ginger before cooking rather than trying to remove heat at the table.