West African Peanut Soup with Cod Fish

For starters, this was sooo good. My hubby made it a long time ago and in trying to decide what to eat for dinner on this night I recalled this dish and went for it. This was my first time making this. My hubby nor myself is West African, however he is Haitian and we both enjoy multicultural dishes.

This dish is also known as Ghanian groundnut stew, Nkatenkawan or Maafe. Nevertheless it is a delicious peanut-tomato stew that makes a hearty, protein-packed meal which can be enjoyed either with chicken, fish, or as a vegetarian entrée. In doing some research it seems as they no one knows exactly when or where the first “groundnut stew” was made but, historians generally cite West Africa as the meal’s place of origin. What Africans call “groundnuts,” Americans know as “peanuts.”

This one dish can have many twists. In general, this stew or soup can be thought of as a kind of sauce served over starch and made with peanuts/groundnuts, tomatoes, a variety of vegetables, and usually chicken or another meat. Additional ingredients are optional. Some recipes can include root vegetables like yams, cooked greens, and various spices. African cooks generally spoon groundnut stew over rice, couscous, millet or sweet potatoes. I like it best over rice.

Here is our version of this dish:

Ingredients:

1 bunch of kale, rinsed, stems removed, and chopped

6-8 cups of vegetable broth

1 large red onion, chopped ( I recommend using electric chopper for this)

2 tbs ginger root, peeled and minced

2 tbs garlic, minced

1/2 cup tomato paste

3/4 cups peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

1 tbs of Sirachi hot sauce

2-4 pieces of Cod Fish, seasoned, baked, and cut

1 cup of cooked rice (follow rice instructions)

1/4 cup Peanuts (optional) | I don’t use

Instructions:

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add ginger, garlic, and onion. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine peanut butter and tomato paste. To this, add 1 cup of the broth to it and whisk. Add this mixture to your pot with the other ingredients. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.

3. Season cod fish and place in a clear dish. Bale for about 12 minutes.

4. To the broth, Add kale and then sirachi sauce. Allow to cook for about about 15 minutes. Keep on low heat, stirring to blend all ingredients together.