West-African Peanut Soup

West-African Peanut Soup 

Serves 6-8 people 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne or other ground dried chilies 
• 1 teaspoon of grated peeled fresh ginger root 
• 1 cup chopped carrots 
• 2 cups of sweet potato 
• 4 cups of vegetable stock OR WATER
• 2 cups of tomato juice or sauce 
• 1 cup of smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon of sugar 
• 1 cup cupped scallions or chives for garnishment

Directions: 

• Sautee the onions in the oil until they become translucent. Stir in the cayenne and fresh grated ginger. Add the carrots and sauté a couple more minutes. Mix in the potatoes and stock or water, bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• In a blender, puree the vegetables with the cooking liquid and the tomato juice. Return the puree to a soup pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. If the sweetness is not there naturally, add a little sugar.
• Reheat the soup gently using a heat diffuser if needed. Add more water, stock or tomato juice for a thinner soup.
• Top with scallions or chives.