For anyone who was living in Nigeria in the 80s and 90s, this dish is heavy on nostalgia. It was something semi-celebratory that was cooked at least monthly in many households, and paired with rice; but this seems to have receded from our collective quotidian now. In Ghana however, Groundnut Soup is still a weekly classic, both in homes and chop bars; enjoyed with fufu, and chased down by a cold drink. Having spent significant amounts of time in both places, I’ve developed this recipe that incorporates the dish’s heritage in both countries. For the Nigerian version, you may want to reduce the stock a bit, to make it thicker and slightly pulpier. For the Ghanaian version, keep it runny and smooth. To make this more Cameroonian, reminiscent of Ndole, go with the thicker version add some bitterleaf. All versions are blissful!

 

Ingredients

1 red onion

4 tomatoes

1 scotch bonnet

1 paprika (or bell pepper)

2kg (4lb) chicken pieces, boiled (or use 1 large whole chicken, cut up)

1L (2 pints) chicken stock

1 jar smooth peanut butter (about 450g or 1lb) 

1 teaspoon Cameroonian pepper or Peppersoup spice mix

2 tablespoons olive oil (or groundnut oil to heighten the nutty taste)

Salt

 

Method

1. Blend the onions, tomato, scotch bonnet and paprika/bell pepper and fry the mixture in hot oil. Season with salt and let cook for about 5 – 8 minutes. 
2. Add the peanut butter to the pan, and stir it into the sauce already in the pan. 
3. Add the chicken, pour over the stock and stir well but be careful not to break up the chicken.
4. Add the Cameroonian pepper and then turn down the heat and allow to simmer. 
5. The soup is ready when the oil floats to the top. If the chicken gets too soft before the soup is ready, then scoop it out and add it back in when the soup is cooked. 

 

 

This recipe is from Season 1 Episode 5 of Minjiba Entertains, commissioned by The Africa Channel and showing on RealTime DSTV Channel 155, Emirates in-Flight Entertainment, Amazon Prime, and Demand Africa.