The tasty omisagwe, groundnut soup recipe

During the week, Xquisite Food made a quick dash to a friend’s place and was persuaded to eat before leaving.

When the soup was served, at first, Xquisite Food thought it was egusi but the aroma of groundnut in the soup filled the air and upon inquiry. It was groundnut soup. If you haven’t tried it before, you need to take Xquisite Food’s word on this one when; it is finger licking gooooddd!!!.

Groundnut soup is a very spicy and tasty soup that is prepared using roasted groundnut, uziza seeds, scent leaves and so on. Originally a Ghanaian delicacy, it is very popular among the Edo people who call it Omisagwe. The good part is that if you don’t have the time to roast and pound the groundnut, you can go for canned peanut butter.

 

What you need:

Roasted groundnut or  Peanut butter

Goat\cow meat

Smoked / fried fish

Cooking palm oil

Tablespoons of crayfish

Cup of bitter leaves

Efinrin/Basil leaves (Optional)

Onion

Yellow Scotch Bonnet (Atarodo)

Seasoning cubes

Salt to taste

 

Directions:

• Wash clean the meat to be used and put in the saucepan.
• Blend one onion with garlic and ginger.
• Pour the blended mixture onto the meat.
• Add seasoning of your choice and salt to taste with little water.
• Stir well and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
• Slice the second onion in halves, roughly cut some ginger and add few bare leaves and pepper to the steaming meat and allow to steam.
• while the meat is steaming, pour out the peanut butter into a different saucepan, add the tomato puree, and water then mix well.
• Cook the peanut by continuously stirring till the oil resurfaces on the peanut.
• Take out the onion, ginger and pepper from the steaming meat then blend together with the tomatoes.
• Strain the blended tomatoes on to the steamed meat.
• Strain the cooked peanut onto the soup as well. Add more water to the base on the strainer to reduce waste.
• Add more water to the soup, as it thickens when ready.
• Allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes.
• Add the smoked /fried fish, some chunks of okro, garden eggs and some whole pepper if desired.
• Serve with fufu, banku, rice ball and so on.