Most Ghanaians tend to cook soups in large quantities. In the case of Groundnut/Peanut butter soup, we usually eat it as soup the day it is made, and then thicken it down to a stew.
This is a Guinean version which really is a stew. You could use any number of meats to prepare it; Beef, Goat meat, Pork, Mutton, Chicken, Fish, Oxtail, etc. and most of the time, combinations of them. For this post, I decided to use just Chicken, because that was what my friends used when showing me how to prepare it.
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken
1 Margerine tin /500 ml Peanut butter
1 Large Onion
8-10 Tomatoes
15-20 Peppers (kpakpo shito)
1/2 cup Cooking Oil
1 Tablespoon Tomato puree
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Large Maggi cube
Salt
Cut and wash the chicken. Leave the skin on it you like it, I don't but left it on like in the original recipe. Crush or finely chop the garlic, crumble the maggi cube and then add about a teaspoon of salt. Toss it and leave to marinate for about 10-15 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, slice the onion into half circles ...
.. add the pepper to the tomatoes and blend till smooth.
Scoop the peanut butter into a bowl. Add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water. Then with clean fingers, mash the peanut butter into the water till they are mixed into a waterier, runnier paste.
Heat the cooking oil in a large pot.
When the oil is hot, add all the chicken. It should instantly start to sizzle but eventually settle down to steam.
Add the onions and stir them in, allowing them to fry with the chicken.
After about 5 minutes when the chicken turns white and the stock mixes with the oil, add the tomato puree. Fry the chicken and puree for a couple more minutes...
... then add the blended tomatoes. Gently stir them in and cover. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes so the tomatoes can cook. Stir occassionaly to prevent it sticking to the bottom.
Add the peanut butter mixture to the pot and leave to simmer gently. Lower the fire so it doesn't burn.
When the oil starts to come to the surface, it is almost ready. Continue simmering until you reach your desired thickness.
Serve this on a bed of rice, with boiled yam, potatoes, cocoyam or plantain, it goes with everything.
Give this a try and let me know how it turned out.
Posts
I am definitely going to try to make this when I get back to America! Finding a Maggi cube there will probably be my biggest challenge...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your recent comments on our blog entry about Ghanaian food, they were really enlightening! I'm so glad to know the names of some of those fried balls, fruits, etc. Next time we are in Ghana, it would be great to get together. =)
-Tara
You should, and please document it and let us know how it goes. Don't even worry about the maggi cube, I'm sure you can find a substitute.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading you blog and have recommended it to a number of friends who think it is hilarious.lol Let me know when you are in Ghana next.
If i wanted to make soup, how would I alter this recipe?
ReplyDeleteThis recipe, as I said, was from a Guinean friend. For the Ghanaian recipe, I should probably do a seperate post. But here is a summary 1. Start the soup off like you would with any light soup. But in a seperate pot (this is the key step for me), mash the peanut butter in water then set to boil, stirring sontinuously until it thickens. When the oil starts coming to the surface, it is ready to join the rest of the soup pot.
ReplyDeleteI hope I helped. If not let me know how I can clarify. Happy Holidays!!
I would be interested in seeing a post for the Ghanian recipe. I love your pictures - it really helps to see what the process is and what the end result should look like. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteVery soon I hope :)
Deletei would be grateful if you can post the Ghanaian recipe for the ground nut soup . thx
ReplyDeleteThanks Rebecca. I think that should be my next thing :)
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