West African Peanut Soup – Nigerian Groundnut Soup

West African peanut soup (also known as groundnut soup) is a dish with variations enjoyed throughout West Africa.

The term groundnut is used interchangeably with peanuts. Americans  call it peanuts, but most people outside of the states refer to it as Groundnut.

The authentic name for peanut soup is Granat soup. Granat is the krio term for groundnut – aka peanuts.

Groundnut soup or peanut soup is just another simple delicious soup prepared with peanuts.

This soup is a staple in most African cuisine as well as some other cultures like Taiwan in East Asia and Virginia in the states.

In Nigeria however, groundnut or peanut soup has many names such as Miyan geda by the Hausas and omisagwe by the Edo people.

Nigerian Groundnut Soup is nutty, creamy and very similar to egusi soup in terms of preparation. You can follow the method of preparing egusi soup to make it.

While it’s common practice to grind the nuts while making the recipe, peanut butter works well also.

West African Peanut Soup – One Dish, Many Twists

There are different versions of West African peanut soup that you can find. But essentially, the basics are almost certainly the same.

Some versions have chicken in them; others have collards or other greens.

Most recipes use garlic and ginger to spice the soup up.

Some people serve it as a stew, while others use it as a soup.

West African Peanut Soup Origin

West African peanut soup, Ghanaian groundnut stew, Nkate Nkawan, Maafe, or Sauce d’arachide all these names refer to the same soup.

Best West African peanut soup can be enjoyed either with chicken or as a vegetarian entrée. It is also popularly served during Kwanzaa festival.

While no one knows exactly when or where the first groundnut stew originates, historians generally cite Mali and Ghana in West Africa as the meal’s place of origin

Nigerian Groundnut Soup Recipe

Peanuts and smoked fish are the major ingredients. The smoky flavor of the fish mixes perfectly with the sweet flavors of the peanuts.

The fish becomes flaky and soft in the sauce and when poured over rice, it becomes a comforting treat.

Ingredients for Groundnut Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 big smoked fish, washed and cut into medium pieces
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 2 fresh tomatoes, mashed
• 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Black Pepper, to taste
• Spring onion, chopped (optional)
• 2 bouillon cubes or Maggi
• Salt, to taste
• Chili pepper, to taste
• 4 cups of water

You can also add some vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and pumpkin.

Note: You can use any type of smoked fish for this recipe.

Procedure

1. Firstly, heat the oil in a cooking pot and add the onions. Stir fry for few seconds.
2. Secondly, add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, garlic, and black pepper and let it cook for at least 10 minutes. You will need to stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning.
3. After that, add water with the peanut butter and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Lastly, add the smoked fish in soup, chili pepper, salt, and the bouillon cubes.

Bring the whole to a boil for 20 minutes or until you can see the oil in the soup and the sauce is thick.

You can serve your peanut soup with West African Toh, boiled rice, eba, fufu or with Arborio rice (tuwo shinkafa)