Groundnut Stew My Way

Ghana inspired me! Groundnuts=#peanuts and peanut butter stew or soup, nkantenkwan is really important stuff. Ghanaians love this in their chop bars or neighborhood cantinas. The delicious one below was made in a fantastic chop bar in Kumasi named Cece’s in the capital of the Asante kingdom and heartland. Peanut soup in the South started out as nkantekwan in Ghana and maafe in Senegal and Gambia.

Step 1:

2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts, or 2 pounds of chicken thighs or legs, bone in.

1 large red onion, washed, peeled and quartered

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 inch knob of ginger, skinned

1 very small fresh hot pepper

1 ground up Maggi cube or two teaspoons of powdered broth.

1 tsp of coarse ground black pepper

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Take all those seasonings and blend them together until liquefied. Place in a dish, spread over chicken and marinade several hours to overnight.

Step 2:

2 tablespoons of palm oil

2 cups of vegetable or beef broth

1 cup of unsweetened peanut butter

2 large chopped tomatoes or one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

2-3 bay leaves

2-3 sprigs of thyme

In a large Dutch oven take two tablespoons of palm oil and heat it to melting. Add chicken and sauté and sear for about 20 minutes over medium heat. Add a little liquid if it starts to brown too much.

Add 2 cups of vegetable or beef broth, 1 cup of unsweetened peanut butter, and 2 large chopped tomatoes or 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes and stir well. Add a few sprigs of thyme and 2-3 bay leaves. Cook on a low and slow slimmer for 45 minutes. Stir for about 3 minutes every 15 minutes. It should be reduced by over one third.

OPTIONAL:

Ok..heres where I will get my butt kicked. I don’t like smoked fish. But I get that you need another flavor element that is earthy and marine. 2 tsps of bonito flakes, seaweed flakes, ground crayfish or shrimp, or 1 tablespoon of oyster or mushroom sauce gives you that background umami most often savored through the use of smoked fish in stew. If you choose to add it to your pot, give it another 10 minutes. Serve with fufu or over cooked rice. Serves 4-6 or 2 Ghanaians.