African Yam and Peanut Soup

This recipe is from the Rebar cookbook. Rebar is a fabulous restaurant in Victoria, BC...highly recommended! This is a delicious soup! It's just spicy enough, and very exotic-tasting. I really love the combined taste of ginger and cilantro. I pair a big bowl of soup with a whole wheat pita and a green salad. It can take some time to chop all of the veggies, but it's fun to make on a cold weekend day and the colours and smells are wonderful. I'm a slow cook, so the prep time might be shorter for you.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8  cups  vegetable stock
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  large yellow onion, diced
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 6  tablespoons  minced ginger
• 4  large garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon ground cumin
• 2  tablespoons ground coriander
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  teaspoon paprika
• 1  red bell pepper, diced
• 4  medium  yams, roughly chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can pineapple
• 3  ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 5  tablespoons  natural  smooth peanut butter
• 1  bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2  limes, juice of
•  favourite  hot sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Heat stock. I actually only use about 4 cups of stock, because I like my soup thick.
2. In a big soup pot, heat oil. Saute onions with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, ginger and spices and sauté until everything's soft.
3. Stir in red peppers and yams, cooking them until they start to stick to the bottom of the pot.
4. Add stock, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer until yams are tender.
5. Add pineapple with juice, tomatoes and peanut butter and simmer 30 minutes. Add stock if needed.
6. Purée the soup until smooth. I just use my blender.
7. Season to taste with more salt, pineapple juice and/or hot sauce. Just before serving, add chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice.