GHANAIAN PEANUT SOUP, MODIFIED

There is a fascinating website out there called Congocookbook.com. Looking around, I landed on this page: http://www.congocookbook.com/soup_and_stew_recipes/peanut_soup.html

I bounced the idea off of my Ghanaian co-worker, who made some suggestions. The first time I tried making it, I screwed it up horrendously. Mrs Dex referred to it as “Scorched peanut butter with carbonized chicken lumps”. GB, my co-worker, got a whiff of the container I brought in for lunch, and cracked up laughing. Our dentist is also West African, and she gave me some hints. Today, success.

2lb boneless chicken thighs

1 qt chicken stock

2-3 oz minced garlic

2-3 oz fresh ginger root, chopped and then pureed in a blender jar

1-2 medium onions, chopped

1 tsp salt

African hot sauce, or substitute (I used Sriracha)
2 to 4 Tbl (or to taste) Natural peanut butter – the stuff that just has peanuts and salt for ingredients. Our Ghanaian consultants suggestes 1 Tbl per pound of chicken, to start.

Some form of vegetable. Traditional is rice balls or manioc. I had a large can of stripped bamboo shoots. It worked.

Brown the chicken thighs. I used a grill, you can do that, or use a skillet. Cut the browned thighs into small bites.

Combine the stock, ginger, garlic, onions, salt, and hot sauce in a crockpot set on high for 4 hours or so.

Once the chicken is browned, add it to the pot.

Come back in an hour or so, when the pot is at boiling point. Stir in the first couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, then taste. Let it cook a bit, and adjust the peanut butter to a strength you like.

Add the veggies, and simmer for another hour or three. Serves at least 6.