The Hirshon Beninese Peanut Soup

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Citizens, Benin, officially the Republic of Benin (French: République du Bénin) and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa that has a unique cuisine that is truly worthy of consideration by the whole of TFD Nation.

It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is in Cotonou, the country’s largest city and economic capital.

Benin covers an area of 114,763 square kilometers and its population in 2015 was estimated to be approximately 10.88 million.

The official language of Benin is French. However, indigenous languages such as Fon and Yoruba are commonly spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Roman Catholicism, followed closely by Islam, Vodun and Protestantism.

Benin is a birthplace of vodun (aka voodoo) and was home to the Dahomey Kingdom, a major regional power from 1600-1900. In Abomey, Dahomey’s former capital, the Historical Museum occupies 2 royal palaces with bas-reliefs recounting the kingdom’s past and a throne mounted on human skulls!

This region was referred to as the Slave Coast from as early as the 17th century due to the large number of slaves shipped to the New World during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

After slavery was abolished, France took over the country and renamed it French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France, and had a tumultuous period with many different democratic governments, many military coups and military governments. In 1991, it was replaced by the current multi-party Republic of Benin.

Beninese cuisine is known throughout Africa for its exotic ingredients and flavorful dishes. Beninese cuisine involves fresh meals served with a variety of key sauces.

In southern Beninese cuisine, the most common ingredient is corn, often used to prepare dough which is mainly served with peanut- or tomato-based sauces. Fish and chicken are the most common meats used in southern Beninese cuisine, but beef, goat, and bush rat are also consumed.

The main staple in northern Benin is yams, often served with sauces mentioned above. The population in the northern provinces use beef and pork meat which is fried in palm or peanut oil or cooked in sauces. Cheese is used in some dishes. Couscous, rice, and beans are commonly eaten, along with fruits such as mangoes, oranges, avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, and pineapples.

Meat is usually quite expensive, and meals are generally light on meat and generous on vegetable fat. Frying in palm or peanut oil is the most common meat preparation, and smoked fish is also commonly prepared in Benin. Grinders are used to prepare corn flour, which is made into a dough and served with sauces.

“Chicken on the spit” is a traditional recipe in which chicken is roasted over fire on wooden sticks. Palm roots are sometimes tenderized by soaking in a jar with saltwater and sliced garlic, then used in various dishes. Many people have mud stoves for cooking and also mud pots which are used to preserve the meal, also mud pots are used to store water, these pots are usually kept outside their homes.

Choukoutou or “chouk” is a Beninese millet beer commonly consumed in northern Benin, and shipped to southern Benin by railway and roadways. Sodabi is a liquor made from wine palm, and often consumed at events and ceremonies.

This Beninese vegetarian peanut soup is a favorite throughout West Africa and my version is quite traditional though I have adjusted the spices to my own personal taste. There are many different versions of this peanut soup found throughout the continent, but for my money, this is the best version you’ll find (and not just because it’s my version of it, though that certainly helps!).

This is a fantastic Beninese recipe, my Citizens – one that I am very confident you will return to again and again! Its flavor profile will remind you strongly of Indian cuisine, but trust me that this is African cooking through and through!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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