Liberian Pumpkin Soup is a traditional Liberian recipe for a squash or pumpkin and meat based stew cooked in red palm oil and flavoured with tomatoes, hot chillies and dried, smoked, fish. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Egyptian version of: Liberian Pumpkin Soup.
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Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
2 Maggi (or similar stock or bouillon cubes)
250ml red palm oil
1 medium squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
1 tomato, chopped
1 hot chilli pepper (eg Scotch bonnet), chopped
120ml tomato purée
450g meat, cubed
1 dried and smoked fish
1 tsp ground black pepper
salt, to taste
Method:
Add the chilli and a little onion to a mortar and pound to a paste then pound-in the tomato.
Meanwhile, add the oil to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the onion and fry until soft (about 5 minutes) then add the chilli paste and fry for 2 minutes more before adding the squash. Return to a simmer and cook until the flesh of the squash is soft (about 20 minutes).
Thoroughly wash the dried fish then break into pieces, removing as many of the bones as possible. Add the fish and meat to the stew. Mix the tomato purée with 250ml hot water to a smooth paste then add to the stew along with the black pepper and salt.
Add water to cover the ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer, cover and cook for about 60 minutes, or until the meat and fish are soft and the sauce is thick. Serve hot on a bed of rice.
