Ghanaian Groundnut Soup (Nkatenkwan)
Ghana's beloved peanut soup: chicken steamed in its own juices, simmered with blended tomato and scotch bonnet, then enriched with cooked groundnut paste.
Method
Cut the chicken into large pieces and pat dry. Slice half the onion, finely grate the ginger and garlic, and put everything in a 3 L pot with the chicken, half the salt and the crumbled stock cube. Mix with your hands, cover and steam on medium heat for , stirring once or twice; the chicken releases its own juices. If the bottom starts to catch, add a splash of water.
Add in this stepBone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks) 600 gOnion ½Fresh ginger 10 gGarlic cloves 2Salt ½ tspChicken stock cube 1
medium heatPour in the water and add the whole tomatoes, the other half of the onion in one piece, the whole scotch bonnet (do not pierce it) and the tomato paste. Bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for , until the tomato skins split and the tomatoes are soft.
Add in this stepWater 700 mlMedium tomatoes 2Onion ½Scotch bonnet (or habanero), whole 1Tomato paste 1 tbsp
high heat→medium heatMeanwhile, put the peanut butter and the water in a 16 cm saucepan and stir over medium-low heat for . It first turns stiff, then loosens into a smooth, slightly darker paste with tiny beads of oil on the surface. Stir constantly and keep your hand back: thick peanut paste spits as it bubbles.
Add in this stepSmooth 100% peanut butter, unsweetened 150 gWater 150 ml
medium-low heatLift the tomatoes, onion and pepper out with a slotted spoon and blend them with a ladle of broth until completely smooth. For a milder soup, blend only half the pepper. Pour the purée back into the pot through a sieve, pressing with a spoon, to catch the seeds and skins.
Stir the cooked peanut paste into the soup a ladle at a time until smooth, then swirl the water around the saucepan and add that too. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for , stirring to the bottom every 5 minutes so the peanut does not stick. It is ready when a layer of reddish oil floats on top, the chicken comes easily off the bone and the soup coats a spoon like single cream. Season with the remaining salt.
Add in this stepWater 150 mlSalt ½ tsp
medium-low heatServe hot in deep bowls with rice balls (omo tuo), fufu or plain boiled rice. If it has thickened too much, loosen it with a little hot water.
Cook's tip
Use 100% peanut butter with no sugar or added oil; sweetened spreads make the soup taste like dessert. The reddish oil on top is the classic sign of a well-cooked groundnut soup; undercooked, it tastes raw and floury. It thickens as it stands, so add hot water when reheating.
Cooking it at camp
Steam and simmer it in a heavy pot on a camping burner over a medium flame, stirring often because thin pots scorch peanut easily. Blend the tomatoes at home, or push them through a sieve with a spoon. Keep the chicken in a cooler below 5 °C and cook it on the first day.