Palm Butter Soup

Ingredients11

• palm butter (palm nut cream)400 g
• beef, cut into chunks700 g
• smoked dried fish150 g
• onion, chopped1
• garlic cloves, minced3
• fresh ginger, grated15 g
• Scotch bonnet pepper1
• tomato, chopped1
• chicken stock750 ml
• salt1 tsp
• black pepper0.5 tsp

Method

1. Rinse the smoked fish, remove bones if needed, and set aside.
2. Put the beef in a pot with the stock, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the meat is nearly tender, about 40 minutes.
3. Stir in the palm butter until it dissolves into the broth. Add the smoked fish and whole Scotch bonnet.
4. Simmer uncovered, stirring often so the palm butter does not settle and scorch, until the sauce thickens and the oil rises to the surface, about 25–30 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the whole pepper if a milder heat is wanted.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice.