Ingredients
Meat
- 1.2 kggoat, or chicken, or whole tilapia
- 1onion, grated
- 1 tbspgrated ginger
- 1stock cube
- salt
Broth base
- 6ripe tomatoes
- 1onion
- 3scotch bonnet peppers
- a thumb of ginger
- 4 clovesgarlic
Also
- 1.5 litreswater
- 2 tbspground dried shrimp or crayfish
- 4garden eggs, small African aubergines
- 2 tspcalabash nutmeg or grains of paradise, ground
To serve
- fufu, banku, omo tuo, or rice
Directions
- Use bone-in meat rather than boneless, since the bones are much of what gives the thin broth its body and flavour.
- Season the meat with grated onion, ginger, stock cube and salt and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Now steam it in its own juices in a covered pot over a medium heat for ten minutes before any water goes in.
- Skim the surface as it comes to the boil. Put whole tomatoes, a whole onion, the peppers and ginger into the simmering broth.
- Boil them in the broth until completely soft, about fifteen to twenty minutes. This is the distinguishing method: light soup is never built on fried tomato paste, which would make it heavy and change its whole character.
- Blend them until smooth with a little of the broth. Sieving is what keeps the soup clear and light, and skipping it gives a pulpy soup that is no longer really light soup.
- Press the pulp firmly to extract everything and discard the skins and seeds. Now simmer everything together for a further twenty to thirty minutes. Blend them in for the full effect, or add them whole for aroma without as much fire. Add the garden eggs and simmer until tender.
- Taste and season firmly with salt. It should be a thin brothy soup that you can see through, not a thick sauce. Add hot water if it has reduced too far. Serve it in a bowl with a ball of fufu, banku or omo tuo sitting in it.
Technique
- The name means it has no thickener, unlike groundnut or palm nut soup.
- The tomatoes are boiled and sieved rather than fried.
- Goat is the classic meat, and fish makes a quick version.
Substitutions
- Chicken or fish in place of goat.
- Aubergine in place of garden eggs, though the flavour is milder.
Variations
- Made with tilapia, which cooks in minutes.
- With garden eggs blended in, for a slightly thicker soup.
- Made with beef or with smoked fish.
Frequently asked questions
What is Light soup?
Light soup is a soup & stew from Ghana: spicy clear tomato broth with goat, chicken or fish.
How long does Light soup take to make?
Light soup takes 25 min of preparation and 1 hr 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Light soup?
Yes, within limits. Chicken or fish in place of goat. Aubergine in place of garden eggs, though the flavour is milder.
What is the most important thing to get right in Light soup?
Use bone-in meat rather than boneless, since the bones are much of what gives the thin broth its body and flavour.
