Sierra Leonean Groundnut Soup

Ingredients

• • 1 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• • 600g chicken thighs or beef, cubed
• • 4 ripe tomatoes, blended
• • 1 red bell pepper, blended
• • 2 scotch bonnets, blended
• • 1 large onion, chopped
• • 3 garlic cloves, minced
• • 1 tbsp grated ginger
• • 3 tbsp tomato paste
• • 1/4 cup vegetable or palm oil
• • 5 cups stock or water
• • 2 stock cubes, salt to taste
• • Rice, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Season meat with salt and stock cube. Brown in oil in a heavy pot, then remove.

2. 2

   Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in the same pot. Add tomato paste and fry 3 minutes until brick-red.

3. 3

   Pour in blended tomato, pepper and scotch bonnet. Simmer 10 minutes until oil rises.

4. 4

   Whisk peanut butter with 2 cups warm stock until smooth; stir into the pot with remaining stock.

5. 5

   Return meat. Simmer uncovered, stirring often to prevent scorching, 35–45 minutes until thick and glossy.

6. 6

   Adjust salt and heat. Serve hot over fluffy rice.