Ghanaian Light Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb mixed meat (chicken thighs and beef chuck), cubed
• 1 whole onion, medium
• 2 medium tomatoes, fresh or canned
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ginger, fresh
• ½ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne) or hot pepper flakes
• ¼ cup fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, or scallions, chopped)
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the chicken thighs and beef chuck into 1-inch cubes by placing each piece on the cutting board and slicing lengthwise, then crosswise into small cubes roughly the size of dice.

2. 2

   Peel the onion and cut it crosswise into thin rings, about 1/4-inch thick—the onion should separate into individual rings as you slice.

3. 3

   Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots—by placing each clove on the board, pressing it with the flat blade, then chopping finely.

4. 4

   Grate the ginger on a microplane or box grater directly into a small bowl, using the fine side, until you have 1 tablespoon of grated ginger.

5. 5

   Dice the fresh tomatoes into 1/2-inch cubes by cutting each tomato lengthwise in half, then slicing lengthwise again, then turning and slicing crosswise; if using canned, skip this step.

6. 6

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, about 90 seconds.

7. 7

   Add the meat cubes to the hot oil and cook without stirring for 3 minutes until the bottom surfaces turn deep golden brown, then stir and cook 2 more minutes until all sides are seared.

8. 8

   Add the onion rings to the pot and stir constantly for 2 minutes until they begin to turn translucent and soften.

9. 9

   Pour in the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir continuously for 30 seconds until the kitchen fills with a strong, warm fragrance.

10. 10

    Sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon of ground red pepper or hot pepper flakes over the mixture and stir for 15 seconds to coat evenly.

11. 11

    Add the diced fresh tomatoes (or the entire can of canned tomatoes) to the pot and stir once or twice to combine, then cook for 1 minute.

12. 12

    Pour in 6 cups of water, stir once, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat—you'll see large bubbles breaking rapidly across the entire surface, about 5 minutes.

13. 13

    Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring once every 5 minutes, until the meat is completely tender and easily pierced with a fork.

14. 14

    Taste the broth and add salt and pepper until it tastes pleasantly seasoned—add a tiny pinch at a time and stir to dissolve before tasting again.

15. 15

    Scatter the fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, or chopped scallions) over the surface of the soup in a thin layer and stir once to distribute.

16. 16

    Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets a generous portion of both broth and meat, and serve immediately while steam still rises from the bowl.

Tools you’ll need

• large pot (6-quart capacity)
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• microplane or box grater
• small bowl
• wooden spoon
• ladle
• serving bowls

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