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Sopa de maní
Peanut soup
Bolivian creamy peanut soup with vegetables and peas, topped with crisp fried potato sticks
Sopa de maní is a pride of Cochabamba, Bolivia's food capital, where it starts the big midday meal in homes and market comedores. Raw peanuts are blended into a pale, creamy broth with vegetables and peas, and every bowl is topped with a tangle of thin, crisp fried potatoes and chopped parsley. It's usually made with beef broth; vegetable stock and a little more garlic keep it full-flavoured. Chef's tip: use raw (unroasted) peanuts and blend them very finely with water; that's what gives the soup its milky colour and silkiness.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the soup
- 7 oz raw skinless peanuts
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ red sweet pepperfinely chopped
- 1 carrotsmall dice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 10 ½ oz waxy potatoespeeled, in 2 cm cubes
- 3 ½ oz green peas
- 1 tsp saltto taste
For the topping
- 10 ½ oz potatoespeeled, cut into very thin sticks
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
- 3 tbsp parsleychopped
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Blend 7 oz raw skinless peanuts with 2 cups water for 2–3 minutes until completely smooth and milky.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 onion, ½ red sweet pepper and 1 carrot for 7 minutes until soft. Add 3 cloves garlic, ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp dried oregano and stir for 1 minute.
8 minStep 3: Pour in 5 cups vegetable stock and the peanut milk, stirring. Bring slowly to a simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring often. Common mistake: high heat; the peanut milk sticks and boils over like milk.
8 minStep 4: Add 10 ½ oz waxy potatoes and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are tender and the soup is creamy and coats a spoon. Add 3 ½ oz green peas for the last 5 minutes and season with 1 tsp salt.
25 minStep 5: Meanwhile, rinse and dry 10 ½ oz potatoes well. Heat 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F and fry in batches for 4–5 minutes until crisp and golden and the bubbling slows. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly.
12 minStep 6: Serve the soup topped with a handful of fried potatoes and 3 tbsp parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sopa de maní take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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