West African Peanut Soup

by Chowbelly on January 1, 2011 · 0 comments

in Recipes

It’s been quite a while since I posted anything here and if anyone is still listening, I’m very sorry. 2010 was a hectic year for our family with more drama than a body has a right to! Looking forward to fresh starts in 2011 and posting here more – stay tuned!

West African Peanut SoupToday, I wanted to tell you about a peanut soup that I’ve adapted over the years. I made this first for Rachel when she was pregnant with the Jackopotamus – she was getting antsy and wanted to bring on labor without being induced. Well, let me tell you, we tried some pretty crazy things – this soup being one of them! According to some folklore/wives tales, this soup can bring on labor – it didnt work for us, but we did discover a nice, warm dish for a cold Saturday afternoon.

This soup has chicken broth and coconut milk as it’s base. You can vary the amount of broth based on how thick or thin you prefer. The heat factor is best adjusted through the application of cayenne. I usually use 1/4 tsp, but make sure there’s a shaker of cayenne on the table for those of us who like it hot!

Ingredients:

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut in bite-size chunks
Salt & Pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced (petite)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
⅔ cup natural chunky peanut butter
1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
Chopped peanuts, scallions and cilantro for garnish

Directions:

First, cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces (About 1”x1”). Season the chicken breasts, and cook in 2 teaspoons oil in a nonstick pan until well browned and nearly cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Next, Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan, and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add curry and cayenne, and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a large pot.
Combine sweet potato, tomatoes and chicken stock in the pot. Simmer until sweet potatoes are tender.  Add the chicken back into the pot and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes).
Finally, add peanut butter and coconut milk, and heat through. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sprinkled-in cayenne.
Garnish with chopped peanuts, scallions and cilantro to serve

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