How to use groundnuts in everyday cooking
What's the story
From savory to sweet, African groundnuts or peanuts are an integral ingredient in various African culinary traditions.
Groundnuts are rich in protein and healthy fats, making them a nutritious addition to your meals.
They can be added to countless recipes, whether you want a savory dish or a sweet treat.
Here are five different ways you can cook with African groundnuts.
Soup
Groundnut soup delight
Groundnut soup is a favorite dish across several African countries. It mixes groundnut paste with vegetables and spices to form a rich, flavorful broth.
The soup is typically accompanied with rice or traditional starchy accompaniments like fufu or ugali.
To make it, roast the groundnuts till golden brown and blend it into a smooth paste. Simmer it with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and veggies of your choice for a fragrant meal.
Stir-fry
Nutty vegetable stir-fry
Adding groundnuts to a vegetable stir-fry gives it an amazing texture and taste.
First, roast the nuts until they are a little crunchy.
In a pan, saute your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli in oil until tender-crisp.
Add soy sauce or tamari for seasoning and the roasted nuts for an extra crunch.
This goes well with steamed rice or noodles.
Sauce
Creamy groundnut sauce
Groundnut sauce is another delightful way to put these nuts to use in the kitchen.
For this creamy sauce, blend roasted peanuts until smooth and mix them with coconut milk or water for the desired consistency.
Season it with salt and pepper, and spices like cumin or coriander powder for added depth of flavor.
You can drizzle this sauce over grilled vegetables or use it as a dip.
Brittle
Sweet groundnut brittle treats
For sweet lovers who want something other than chocolatey desserts, try sweet peanut brittle.
Mix sugar syrup together on low flame before adding roasted peanuts.
Chop them coarsely beforehand so that every piece has some nutty goodness inside.
Once cooled down completely, break apart pieces ready-to-eat whenever you need a quick snack fix.
This way, you won't compromise your taste buds' satisfaction levels.