Miyan Taushe, Nigerian Pumpkin and Peanut Soup
Miyan taushe is a soup from northern Nigeria, built on pumpkin and ground peanuts and eaten across the Hausa-speaking north with a stiff grain porridge called tuwo. Squash is simmered until it falls apart into a broth that groundnuts thicken and enrich, with tomato for tang and Scotch bonnet for a slow, building heat. We use habanero, its close cousin, and lean on smoked paprika to echo the smoky depth that palm oil and dried fish would normally bring. The peanuts do the work of both fat and thickener, so a modest third of a cup carries the whole pot. Whisk the peanut butter into hot broth before it goes in, or it will clump.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 whole Yellow onions, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
- 2 wholes Fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter
- 4 oz Spinach, chopped
- 1/2 whole Habanero, minced
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne
Method
- Sweat the onion, garlic, and ginger in 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water in a large pot until soft, about 7 minutes. This is the aromatic floor of the soup, and cooking it in water keeps the broth clean instead of slicking it with oil.
- Add the tomatoes, smoked paprika, and cayenne and cook until the tomatoes break down and go jammy, about 6 minutes. The smoked paprika is standing in for the smoky palm oil and dried fish that flavor the original, so give it a minute to bloom in the heat. Canned no-salt-added crushed tomatoes work out of season.
- Add the squash, bouillon, and 4 cups (about 950 ml) water. Simmer covered until the squash is soft enough to crush, 18 to 20 minutes, then mash about half of it into the broth to thicken it.
- Whisk the peanut butter with a ladleful of the hot broth in a small bowl until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. Tempering it this way keeps the groundnuts from seizing into lumps and lets them thicken the soup evenly, the way a roux would with none of the flour.
- Stir in the spinach and minced habanero and simmer 3 minutes more, until the greens wilt. Taste for heat and lemon-bright acidity, and serve over brown rice or with a whole-grain flatbread.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 230 calories, 8 g protein, 6 g fiber, 80 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
