Northern Spinach Soup (Miyan Taushe)

Ingredients

• 500g beef or assorted meat, cut into pieces
• 800g pumpkin (kabewa), peeled and cut into cubes
• ½ cup groundnut paste, or 1 cup roasted groundnuts, ground
• 1/3 cup Hizabrun Palm Oil
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 red bell peppers (tattasai)
• 1–2 scotch bonnet peppers (atarugu), to taste
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon locust beans (daddawa)
• 2 seasoning cubes
• 1 large bunch spinach (alayyahu), washed and chopped
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Season the meat with half the onion, one seasoning cube and a pinch of salt. Cook with a little water for 25 minutes until tender, keeping the stock.
2. Boil the pumpkin in a separate pot for 15 minutes until soft, then mash it roughly.
3. Blend the tomatoes, tattasai, atarugu and the rest of the onion into a smooth paste.
4. Heat the palm oil in a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the pepper paste and daddawa and fry for 10 minutes, stirring, until the oil rises to the top.
5. Add the meat and its stock, the mashed pumpkin and the second seasoning cube. Stir in the groundnut paste a little at a time so it does not form lumps.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Add water if it gets too thick.
7. Stir in the spinach, cook for 3 minutes, taste for salt and serve hot.