African Peanut Soup

If you have a little spare time, this soup is well worth preparing! It's juicy, intense, earthy and piquant - and can serve equally well as a provocative first course for 8 people or as lunch (with salad and bread) for 4. It's traditionally served in the USA when African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil 2 medium onions (chopped into big pieces) 2 large green peppers (chopped into big pieces) 4 pressed cloves of garlic 1 large can of whole tomatoes, cut into quarters, juice reserved 10 cups vegetable stock 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed red chili peppers 1/2 cup raw brown rice 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter or crushed peanuts Method: Heat the oil in a large soup pot, then saute the onions, green pepper and garlic until they begin to brown Add the cut tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time until they cook down Pour in the remaining tomato juice and stock Bring the mixture back to the boil, add the rice and the remaining ingredients (except the peanut butter), then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes When ready to serve, stir in the peanut butter until it melts and the broth is smooth Reheat to a simmer, then ladle into bowls and sprinkle with crushed peanuts Tip: Crushed peanuts are traditionally used to prepare this soup in Africa because peanut butter is either unobtainable or too expensive - but if you stir in peanut butter rather than crushed peanuts prior to serving, this soup will have a much richer texture.