Tuwo Shinkafa with Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin and Peanut Soup with Beef)

Ingredients

• 500 g beef stewing steak, diced
• 600 g pumpkin or butternut squash
• 100 g smooth peanut butter
• 150 g spinach
• 2 onions
• 2 red peppers
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 beef stock cube
• 350 g short grain rice

Method

1. 1

   Put the beef in a pan with half an onion, chopped, the crumbled stock cube and 800ml water. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes until tender.

2. 2

   Peel the pumpkin or squash and cut into 2cm chunks. Blend the red peppers, the remaining half onion and the scotch bonnet.

3. 3

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan, fry the second onion, chopped, for 4 minutes, then add the pepper blend and fry for 8 minutes until thickened.

4. 4

   Add the beef with its liquid and the pumpkin, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Mash some of it into the soup, then whisk the peanut butter with a ladleful of broth and stir it in. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring so it does not catch.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, make the tuwo shinkafa: simmer the rice in 800ml water with a pinch of salt, covered, for 25 minutes until very soft and the water absorbed. Beat hard with a wooden spoon until it becomes a smooth, sticky mass, then shape into 4 rounds with a wet bowl.

6. 6

   Stir the chopped spinach (it stands in for the sorrel leaves used in the north) into the soup until wilted, season with salt, and serve with the tuwo.