← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken legs or bone-in pieces (or goat), cut into pieces
• 2 Onion, 1 sliced, 1 halved
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 5 cm piece Ginger, sliced
• 1½ tsp Salt, plus more to taste
• 4 Tomato
• 2 Scotch bonnet chilli, stems removed
• 4 small garden eggs (or 1 small aubergine), halved
• 1.5 l Water, divided
• 1 tbsp red palm oil (optional)

Method

1. Put the chicken, sliced onion, garlic, ginger and salt in a large pot with 250 ml water. Cover and steam over medium heat for 15 min, stirring once, so the chicken releases its juices.
2. Add the whole tomatoes, halved onion, scotch bonnets and garden eggs with another 250 ml water. Cover and cook for 10–12 min, until the vegetables are soft.
3. Lift out the tomatoes, onion, peppers, garden eggs and ginger and blend them with a splash of liquid until very smooth.
4. Pour the remaining water into the pot, then pour the blended mixture through a sieve into the pot, pressing on the pulp. Add the palm oil, if using.
5. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 min, until the chicken is tender and reaches 75°C (165°F) and the soup has reduced slightly. Skim any foam, taste for salt and serve with fufu, omo tuo (rice balls) or kenkey.

Tips

• Light soup is meant to be thin and peppery; for less heat, add the scotch bonnets whole and remove one before blending.
• Lamb, goat or firm fish make equally classic light soups; add fish only for the last 10 min.
• Wear gloves to cut or blend scotch bonnets, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash the board, knife and blender well afterwards.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Eat Well Abi GhanaWeb