I bless the rains down in Africa...

The peanut or groundnut, is a species in the legume or "bean" family. It is said that the peanut was probably first domesticated (meaning that it has two sets of chromosomes from two different species that combined in the wild) and cultivated in the valleys of Paraguay or Bolivia. Many pre-Colombian cultures depicted peanuts in their art. The peanut was discovered by Spanish conquistadors in the marketplace of Mexico City. The plant was later spread worldwide by European traders. It is speculated that the peanut made it to the southern United States through the slave trade. To this day peanuts are still a large part of many African cultures as a source of high protein. I roasted raw peanuts for my African inspired soup (I recommend making your own peanut butter for this recipe). While peanuts are the show-stopper; tomatoes, cilantro, nutmeg, cardamom and cayenne all play valuable roles. These elements marry to transform the groundnut into an earthy, hearty and satisfying soup. 

African Peanut Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

½  bell pepper, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼  cup minced cilantro

3 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces cooked chickpeas

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

½ cup uncooked rice

1 teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1 cup freshly made roasted peanut butter

Diced roasted peanuts for a garnish

Saute the bell pepper and onion with the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat until softened. Stir in garlic and cilantro.

Blend the chickpeas with the broth in blender and then pour into pot (or place in pot and use immersion blender). Add in all remaining ingredients except peanut butter and peanuts. Simmer on stovetop for about 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Add water if necessary to desired consistency.

Stir in peanut butter and serve garnished with peanuts and cilantro.

Until tomorrow...Peace.