Abenkwan (Ghanaian Palm Nut Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 cans (about 800g total) palm nut cream concentrate, or 3 cups fresh palm nut extract if available
• 900g goat meat or beef short ribs, cut into pieces
• 150g smoked mackerel or herring
• 100g dried salted fish (momone), or extra smoked fish
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 whole scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 beef or chicken stock cubes
• Salt, to taste
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• Fufu, banku, or rice, for serving

Before you cook

• Cut the goat meat (or beef) into 2-inch pieces, trimming away excess fat
• Rinse the smoked fish, remove any large bones, and break it into chunks
• Soak the dried salted fish in warm water for 15 minutes to soften it and reduce its saltiness, then rinse and flake it
• Chop the onion into two roughly equal portions, and mince the garlic and grate the ginger
• Open the cans of palm cream concentrate and dilute each with 2 cups of warm water, stirring until loosened
• Strain the diluted palm cream through a fine sieve to remove any coarse fibers

Steps

1. Place the goat meat in a large pot with half the chopped onion, the garlic, ginger, one stock cube, and a big pinch of salt
2. Pour in enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil over high heat
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes, or until the meat is nearly tender
4. Pour the strained, diluted palm cream into the pot with the meat and its broth
5. Bring the soup back up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer
6. Skim off a little of the orange-red oil that rises to the surface, but leave most of it in the pot for richness
7. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally from the bottom, to keep the palm cream from sticking or scorching
8. Add the remaining chopped onion, the whole scotch bonnet peppers, and the second stock cube
9. Stir in the smoked fish and the flaked salted fish
10. Simmer for another 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened slightly and the fish has softened into the broth
11. Press the whole scotch bonnet peppers gently against the side of the pot with a spoon to release a little more heat, if you want the soup spicier
12. Season with salt to taste
13. Ladle the soup hot over a mound of fufu, or serve alongside rice