Peanut soup or groundnut soup is a
soup made from
peanut
The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small and ...
s, often with various other ingredients. It is a
staple of
African cuisine
African or Africans may refer to:
* Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa:
** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa
*** Ethn ...
but is also eaten in
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
(
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
), the United States (mainly in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
) and other areas around the world. It is also common in some regions, such as
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
northwest,
Bolivia and
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = National seal
, national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
, where it can sometimes be served with bone meat and hollow short pasta or fries. In
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
it is often eaten with
fufu
Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou ) is a dough-like food found in West African cuisine. In addition to Ghana, it is also found in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, t ...
or
omo tuo
Omo tuo ( tw, ɛmo tuo; "rice balls") is a Ghanaian staple food made with rice. Mostly, "broken rice" or long grain rice broken into smaller pieces is used. The rice is usually cooked with more water than usual to make it softer. It is then beate ...
and is often very
spicy
Pungency () refers to the taste of food commonly referred to as spiciness, hotness or heat, found in foods such as chili peppers. Highly pungent tastes may be experienced as unpleasant. The term piquancy () is sometimes applied to foods with a l ...
. Groundnut soup is also a native soup of the
Benin (Edo) people in
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
and it is often eaten with pounded yam. Some of the essential ingredients used in making it are ''
Piper guineense
''Piper guineense'' is a West African species of ''Piper''; the spice derived from its dried fruit is known as Ashanti pepper, Benin pepper, Edo pepper, false cubeb, Guinea cubeb, and called locally ''kale'', ''kukauabe'', ''masoro'', ''etiñ ...
'' (uziza seed) and ''
Vernonia amygdalina
''Vernonia amygdalina'', a member of the daisy family, is a small shrub that grows in tropical Africa. ''V. amygdalina'' typically grows to a height of . The leaves are elliptical and up to long. Its bark is rough.
''V. amygdalina'' is common ...
'' (bitter leaf).
It is prepared from
groundnut which is mashed into a paste, usually termed as groundnut paste. Groundnut soup is eaten with
fufu
Fufu (or fufuo, foofoo, foufou ) is a dough-like food found in West African cuisine. In addition to Ghana, it is also found in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, t ...
,
banku Banku may refer to,
* Banku (dish)
* Banku (call to prayer)
* Banku, a character in the 2008 Hindi-language film Bhoothnath
''Bhoothnath'' () is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language supernatural comedy film written and directed by Vivek Sharma, s ...
,
kenkey
Kenkey (''also known as kɔmi, otim, kooboo or dorkunu'') is a staple dish similar to sourdough dumplings from the Ga and Fante-inhabited regions of West Africa, usually served with pepper ''crudaiola'' and fried fish, soup or stew.
Descri ...
and so on. It is a delicacy that Ghanaian and people in other African countries consume, such as in
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...
.
In Ghana, it is known as ''nkatenkwan'' in the Akan language.
Gallery
File:Ground nut soup.jpg, Garnished ground nut or peanut soup
File:Fufu in groundnut soup with fish.jpg, Peanut soup with fufu and fish
File:Latin American Peanut Soup.jpg, Latin American peanut soup
See also
*
Peanut stew
*
Palm nut soup
*
List of peanut dishes
This is a list of peanut dishes and foods that are prepared using peanuts or peanut butter as a primary ingredient. Peanuts are also referred to as groundnuts.
Dishes and foods
* Ants on a log – a snack made by spreading peanut butter, cr ...
*
List of soups
This is a list of notable soups. Soups have been made since Ancient history, ancient times.
Some soups are served with large chunks of meat or vegetables left in the liquid, while others are served as a broth. A broth is a flavored liquid usua ...
References
External links
Ghanaian groundnut soup – recipeNigerian groundnut soup - recipe
{{Taiwanese cuisine
African soups
Argentine cuisine
Bolivian soups
Ghanaian cuisine
National dishes
Nigerian soups
Peanut dishes
Peruvian soups
Sierra Leonean cuisine
Taiwanese soups
Virginia cuisine
West African cuisine