Ghanaian Dish: How To Prepare Peanut Soup

Ghanaian peanut soup is usually flavorful, creamy and easy to make. It is also known as groundnut soup and this delicacy is quite popular in the western part of Africa.

In West Africa, stews, sauces, and soups with a peanut basis are extremely popular. Miyan gyada is found in the northern part of Nigeria, and Omisagwe is found in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

Nkatenkwan, granat soup, and mafe are all from Ghana, Senegal, and the Gambia, respectively. Although they are all made in various ways and with various flavors, they all have a base of peanuts, which are more often known as groundnuts in the west African region.

Interested in how to make this West African delicacy? Here’s everything you need to know.

Ingredients

• 2 medium yellow onions (about 12 ounces; 340g)
• 2 cups (480ml) homemade chicken broth,
• 5 medium cloves garlic,
• 1 ounce (28g) fresh ginger (about a 1-inch knob)
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
• 1 hot chili pepper, such as bird’s eye, habanero, or Scotch bonnet
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 can plum tomatoes
• 1 whole smoke-dried fish, such as tilapia or snapper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Hot cooked white rice or fufu, to serve

Related post: How to make Kelewele, a popular Ghanaian street snack

Steps

1. In a blender, add your onion halves, 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken stock, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 ounce ginger, and tomato paste.
2. In a Dutch oven, combine chicken legs with purée, your blended onion halves, ginger and garlic, along with hot pepper and bay leaves.
3. Dutch oven should be placed over medium heat and brought to a simmer. After that, cover, lower heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until halved onion is tender and transparent.
4. If the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add an additional 1/2 cup (120ml) chicken stock.
5. Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, and hot pepper to the blender. Add the remaining chicken broth, the peanut butter, and the canned tomatoes and their juices.
6. Through a fine-mesh sieve, pour the combined mixture into the Dutch oven and stir to combine.
7. Stirring occasionally, cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked enough, oils have surfaced, and mixture has thickened and reduced by about a third. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
8. Add the smoked salmon, cover the pan, and cook for an additional five minutes. (If you are not using the smoked fish, omit this covered cooking phase after 5 minutes.) Serve the hot smoked fish over white rice or fufu when your peanut soup is ready.