Nigerian Groundnut Soup

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A beloved Nigerian comfort dish, groundnut soup is a rich and nutty stew built on blended peanuts, palm oil, and slow-cooked assorted meats. It carries a deep, savory warmth from smoked fish, crayfish, and fermented locust beans, balanced by fresh bitter or pumpkin leaves. Traditionally scooped with fufu, eba, or pounded yam, it is the kind of celebratory dish that anchors Sunday tables and special occasions.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 475 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 9 gSaturated Fat
• 14 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 3 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 680 mgPotassium
• 85 mgCalcium
• 4.5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the meats and stock

• 1 lb assorted beef (cut into chunks)
• 1 lb cow foot, cut into pieces
• 1/2 lb tripe (shaki), cleaned and sliced
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

For the groundnut base

• 1 cup raw skinless peanuts
• 3 tbsp palm oil
• 1 tbsp ground crayfish
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended smooth
• 1 tsp iru (fermented locust beans), rinsed
• 2 Maggi or Knorr seasoning cubes
• 1 smoked mackerel, deboned and flaked

For the greens and finishing

• 2 cups bitter leaf, washed (or ugu/pumpkin leaves, shredded)
• 1 tsp dry pepper or to taste
• 1 small onion, sliced
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Place the assorted meats in a large pot with the quartered onion, bay leaves, and salt. Cover with the water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 40-45 minutes until the cow foot and tripe are fork-tender. Skim any foam from the surface during cooking.
2. While the meats cook, toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Let them cool, then pulse in a blender to a coarse meal (some texture is fine).
3. Heat the palm oil in a separate pot over medium heat for about 1 minute until it turns a deep red. Add the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened, then stir in the blended scotch bonnet peppers and cook for another minute.
4. Pour in about 4 cups of the strained meat stock, add the seasoning cubes, ground crayfish, and the flaked smoked mackerel. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Whisk in the ground peanuts a little at a time to prevent clumping, then simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a rich, pourable consistency that coats a spoon.
6. Add the rinsed locust beans and dry pepper, taste for salt, and simmer 2 more minutes. Stir in the bitter leaf or pumpkin leaves and cook just 1-2 minutes until wilted but still bright.
7. Remove from heat and serve hot in deep bowls alongside fufu, eba, pounded yam, or boiled rice.
8. Leftover soup keeps well refrigerated for 3 days and actually deepens in flavor the next day.

Cook’s Notes

• Always use raw, unsalted peanuts. Roasted salted peanuts will throw off the seasoning and make the soup gritty.
• If bitter leaf is hard to find, substitute with spinach, kale, or scent leaves for a milder, fresher finish.
• For a thicker stew-style soup, reduce the stock to 3 cups; for a thinner soup meant for drinking, keep it at 5 cups.
• Toast the peanuts gently and blend coarsely rather than into a paste. Some texture gives the soup its signature body and prevents a pasty mouthfeel.
• Smoked fish is essential for depth. If you cannot find mackerel, dried catfish or stockfish both work beautifully.

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