West African Groundnut Soup

When the weather's warm, I miss Ghanaian food. I miss jollof rice and the special roasted chicken that goes with it. I miss waakye (a big bowl of beans and rice cooked with millet to turn the thing purple, and served with spicy, oniony tomato stew, fried plantains, and avocado - is it drooling in here or is it just me?!). I miss kelewele, which are spicy-sweet fried plantain cubes. And I miss groundnut soup.

Very thankfully, spabettie has come up with a version of this last one that's easy, delicious, and stacks up pretty well to my memories of Auntie Rejoice's homemade fare from the ol' office in Accra. The Husband and I make it often. Serve it with rice, which is traditional.

Since local tomatoes are in season, I changed the recipe, which calls for canned tomatoes, to fresh, amazing, gorgeous local tomatoes. They give the soup extra texture and taste so fresh and amazing. I haven't had tomatoes this good since Accra. Seems the weather has finally been just right for them.

After YEARS of peanut butter chunks in my soup, I finally, finally found the secret. You have to blend the peanut butter and the tomato paste up completely as your first step in the slow cooker. Then you add the tomatoes and mix them in. Then everything else. It works so well, now. 

West African Groundnut Soup

adapted from spabettie
serves 4

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 2-4 hours

ingredients: 

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
150 g firm tofu, cubed
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups canned whole tomatoes (or 6-7 fresh tomatoes)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

you can substitute chickpeas or other protein for the tofu.

directions:

Roughly cube the tomatoes if using fresh ones. How gorgeous are these?!

Heat oil in a medium pan. Saute the onion. Add the garlic and tofu. 

While these cook up a bit, add the peanut butter and tomato paste to the pot of a slow cooker. Mix until totally combined. Then add the tomatoes (if using canned, break into pieces). Mix until combined. Now add the stock and spices.

Add the tofu, garlic and onions to the pot. Cook at a low temperature for 4 or more hours, or at a high temperature for 2-3 hours. Serve with rice formed into lovely balls.

This brings back memories.

Madame, it is ready o!