This was one of my favourite Ghanaian dishes growing up, and it’s so delicious. If you love peanuts, this is the soup for you.
ingredients
Groundnut soup
Rice balls
directions
Season chicken and turkey with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a very large pot, heat oil over low heat, then add the chicken and turkey and sauté, stirring frequently, scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
Blend onions, garlic, 1 scotch bonnet and ginger. Pour mixture into the pot of chicken and turkey, add about 1 cup of water and bouillon cubes to chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let it simmer until tender (depending on the chicken). You may need to add more water doesn’t burn and it is always simmering in liquid.
Blend tomatoes and sieve through strainer to remove pulp and pour liquid tomato ‘water’ over chicken, along with tomato paste, reserving the crushed tomatoes. Cook over medium heat.
Blend peanut butter and 1 cup of water until smooth. Alternatively, you can add peanut butter and ¾ cup of water to a small saucepan, mix together and heat up until smooth. Add this mixture to chicken and top with 5 more cups of water or until your pot is almost full to the top. Add reserved crushed tomatoes and remaining whole scotch bonnets to the soup, then let soup simmer for 30 minutes.
While the soup simmers, make rice balls: Rinse the rice once to remove excess starch. Don’t rinse too much, as this dish requires the rice to be sticky. Place the rice, salt and water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat, cover rice and allow the water to absorb into rice. There is more water in this recipe than when making rice normally, this is to make it easier to mash rice together. This will take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending size of pot. If you find rice too sticky, remove lid and turn heat down so some moisture evaporates.
Using a sturdy wooden spoon, mash and knead the rice against the side of your pot.
Wet a bowl slightly with water and scoop rice into bowl.
Shaking the bowl in a circular motion (swirling it around) you will be able to form your rice into a ball. You may use clean hands to help you form into a perfect ball. Set aside.
At this point, the oil in the soup should start to separate, which indicates the soup is almost ready
Adjust the soup thickness with water if necessary.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve, lightly sauté mushrooms in oil (if using) and season with salt. Add to soup along with rice balls and boiled okra, if using.
