Remi Idowu’s groundnut soup recipe

“When it comes to African soups and stews, this one is hands-down one of my absolute favourites,” says Remi Idowu, content creator and recipe developer. “It’s hearty, delicious and made with just a handful of basic ingredients. For the best results, visit your local African or Indian butcher for smoked turkey, and don’t forget to ask them to cut it into pieces – it’ll save you a lot of time and effort in the kitchen.”

Ingredients
(Makes 6 hearty portions)

1kg chicken pieces
1tsp salt
1tbsp black pepper
500–700g smoked turkey (ask your butcher to cut it into pieces)
500ml water
3 bay leaves
2tbsp chicken bouillon powder
2 large tomatoes

For the paste:
1 large red onion
Thumb-sized piece of ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 Scotch bonnet chilli

For the peanut butter sauce:
250g sugar-free peanut butter
2tbsp tomato purée
500ml boiling water

Method

1. Start by preparing the paste base for the soup. Roughly chop the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli, put into a food processor or blender and whizz until you get a chunky paste. If you’re without a food processor, finely mince by hand.

2. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper, ensuring they are well coated, then put into a large pot with the smoked turkey pieces and the paste. Pour in the water, or just enough to cover the meat, then add the bay leaves and bouillon powder.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

4. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, mix together the peanut butter and tomato purée. Add the boiling water and stir until smooth and well blended. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium–high heat, whisking continuously, for 5-8 minutes until the oil starts to separate.

5. When your chicken and turkey are cooked, drop the whole tomatoes into the pot and let them soften for a few minutes. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

6. Add the peanut butter sauce and the blended tomatoes to the chicken and smoked turkey. Stir together thoroughly, ensuring the peanut sauce is fully incorporated into the soup. Increase the heat to high and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you see more oil rise to the surface. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed.

Tip: This dish is traditionally served with fufu, which can be a bit tricky to master. If you’re not up for the challenge, you can serve it with mashed potatoes instead – it’s not exactly authentic, but it’s a great substitute that still pairs beautifully with the rich flavours of the soup.

Sugar and Spice by Remi Idowu is published in hardback by Ebury Press, priced £26. Photography by Mowie Kay. Available now.