Miyan gyada (mutton peanut butter soup)

SERVES 2-4 PREP 15 mins COOK 3 hrs EASY

2 tbsp vegetable oil

400g mutton shoulder, cut into

large chunks

1 tbsp anise seeds

100g ginger

6 garlic cloves

2 shallots

900ml chicken stock

1 large onion, chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

2 large peppers and 1 scotch bonnet

pepper, blitzed in a food processor 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp ground cloves, toasted in a dry

frying pan

1 tsp ground grains of selim (or uda,

see tip below)

1 heaped tsp dawadawa powder (fermented African locust beans, see tip below) squeeze of lemon juice

1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat until very hot, then fry the mutton pieces until browned (it’s best to do this in batches), then transfer to an ovenproof dish.

2 Blitz the anise, ginger, garlic and shallots in a food processor until smooth, then pour over the meat along with 800ml of the chicken stock. Cover and cook in the oven for 90 mins.

3 Meanwhile, fry the onion for 5 mins in the pan that you used to fry the meat, over a low heat, until softened and translucent. Add the tomato purée and cook for another 5 mins, then the peppers, and cook for a further 7 mins.

4 Mix the peanut butter with the remaining stock, then pour into the onion and pepper mix. Stir in the toasted ground cloves and grains of selim, and cook for 5 mins more. 5 After the meat has been in the oven for 90 mins, add the peppery peanut butter mix and dawadawa. Return to the oven and cook for another 60 mins or until the meat is very tender. Season and squeeze in a little lemon juice. Serve with rice, couscous or mashed potatoes.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING (4) 437 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 10g • carbs 15g • sugars 10g • fibre 7g • protein 27g • salt 1.5g

tip

Grains of selim and dawadawa can be sourced online or in West African shops. While the latter can be omitted, Adjoké recommends seeking it out as it lends the dish great depth of flavour.