Plantain and Coconut Beef Soup is a traditional Gambian recipe for a classic rich stew of plantains and beef with onions, tomatoes and peas in a coconut milk base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Gambian version of: Plantain and Coconut Beef Soup.
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Note that in West African parlance this is a soup not a stew. Stews are served with rice and soups are stews that are served with fufu, pounded yam or pap (maize porridge).
Ingredients:
1kg lean beef, cut into 2cm cubes
5 plantains (or green bananas), peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
2 large onions, peeled and finely diced
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
500ml coconut milk
250ml water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
225g peas
salt, to taste
2 scotch bonnet or habanero chillies, kept whole
Method:
Place the cubes of meat in a pan, just cover with water, season with salt, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, or until tender.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and use to fry the onions for about 4 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the tomato and the meat mixture (meat and cooking water). Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Now add the coconut milk and bring back to a boil before adding the plantains and the peas. Nestle in the whole chillies then bring back to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the plantains are tender.
>Serve either hot on a bed of rice or accompanied by ugali/pap (maize porridge) or fufu.
