West African Peanut Soup with Chicken

Photo: Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken

The use of peanut, also referred to as groundnut, is widespread in Africa for both its oil and to be eaten for its own sake. Peanut sauces primarily consist of pounded peanuts that have been boiled and blended into a thick soup or stew. Sauces may be flavored with herbs, crushed peppers, onions, seafood or meats, or made with vegetables or mushrooms. In Cameroon, the people have a flair for including their large prawns and shrimps, grilled on wooden skewers, in a peanut sauce.

West African peanut stews re frequently paired with roasted Chicken. Made in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the secret of the dish said one West African cook is removing the excess peanut oil that rises to the surface as the peanut stew simmers. Peanut stews are also served with boiled rice or fufu, hard-boiled eggs, fried plantains and diced fruits such as pineapple or papaya cubes.

Chicken-Groundnut Stew (West Africa Recipe) - Serves 6

A 5- to 6-pound chicken, cut and chopped into 12 or more pieces
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 cut peanut oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
5 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped and pureed through a food mill
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dried ground shrimp, if available
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon finely granted, scraped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 cups boiling water
1/4 cup coarsely crumbled dried small fish, if available
2 whole fresh hot chilies, each about 3 inches long
1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup cold water beaten to a smooth paste
12 large fresh okra, washed and stemmed, or 12 frozen okra
6 hard-cooked eggs

Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Combine the salt and ground ginger, and rub the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. In a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Brown the chicken in the hot oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, turning the pieces frequently with tongs and regulating the heat so that they color richly and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer the pieces to a plate.

Discard all but about 1/4 cup of the oil remaining in the pan and drop in the chopped onions. Stirring frequently and scraping the browned particles from the bottom of the pan, cook the onions for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and translucent. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and reduce the heat if necessary.

Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, ground shrimp (if available), garlic, ginger root, red pepper and white pepper. Raise the heat to high and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Stirring constantly, pour in the boiling water in a thin stream and add the dried fish (if available) and the whole chilies (de-seed). Return the chicken and any liquid accumulated around it to the casserole, and turn the pieces about with a spoon until they are evenly coated. Cook uncovered over low heat for 15 minutes.

Stir in the peanut-butter paste and the okra, and continue cooking uncovered for about an hour, or until the chicken is tender and the dark meat shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife. Add the hard-cooked eggs and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the eggs are heated through.

Serve the stew at once, directly from the casserole or mounded attractively in a heated bowl or deep platter, accompanied by as many of the garnishes as you like. In West Africa, chicken-peanut stew is often served with fufu or with an accompaniment of various fruits or vegetables.

Photo: West African chicken and peanut stew

Diced tomato salad garnish:
2 large firm ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Drop the tomatoes into a pan of boiling water and let them boil briskly for about 10 seconds. Run cold water over them and, with a small, sharp knife, peel them. Cut out the stems, then slice the tomatoes in half crosswise. Squeeze the halves gently to remove the seeds and juice, and chop the tomatoes as fine as possible.

In a small serving bowl, combine the lemon juice, ground red pepper and salt, and stir until well mixed. Add the tomatoes and toss together gently but thoroughly. Let the salad marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.