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Miyan Taushe

Also known as Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin Leaf Soup)

Miyan Taushe is a vibrantly coloured, warmly spiced Hausa soup made from fresh pumpkin flesh and pumpkin leaves (taushe). The combination of the sweet, tender pumpkin with groundnut paste and dawadawa creates a soup that is distinctly Northern in character — slightly sweet from the pumpkin, rich from the groundnuts and deeply savoury from the fermented locust beans.

Miyan Taushe, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • Half a medium pumpkin (taushe), peeled, deseeded and cut into big chunks
  • 3 big handfuls of fresh pumpkin leaves (taushe leaves), washed and roughly chopped
  • Half a medium chicken or big handful of beef, cut into pieces
  • 2 big cooking spoons of groundnut paste (natural peanut butter, unsweetened)
  • 2 cooking spoons of groundnut oil
  • 1 tablespoon of dawadawa (fermented locust beans)
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 3 to 4 fresh hot chilli peppers (Cameroon pepper or Atarodo), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 glasses of water or meat stock

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Meat. Season and cook chicken or beef with salt, 1 seasoning cube and onion for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and reserve the fragrant stock.

  2. 02

    Cooking the Pumpkin. Place the pumpkin chunks in a separate small pot with 2 glasses of water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft and easily mashed. Do not drain. Mash the cooked pumpkin roughly with a fork directly in the pot — some texture is good. Set aside.

  3. 03

    Frying the Base. Heat 2 cooking spoons of groundnut oil in a wide, deep pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes. Add the dawadawa and fry for 1 minute. Add the blended chilli pepper and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until fully cooked.

  4. 04

    Adding the Groundnut Paste. Add the groundnut paste to the fried pepper base. Stir vigorously — the groundnut paste will combine with the oil and peppers into a thick, fragrant sauce. Fry together for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the raw groundnut smell mellows and the paste is well incorporated.

  5. 05

    Combining Everything. Add the mashed pumpkin and its cooking water to the pot. Add the cooked meat, ground crayfish, remaining seasoning cubes and salt. Pour in the reserved meat stock. Stir very well to combine all elements into a cohesive, thick soup. Bring to a simmer.

  6. 06

    Adding the Pumpkin Leaves. Add the chopped pumpkin leaves to the simmering soup. Stir through. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust all seasonings. The soup should be thick, beautifully orange, slightly sweet from the pumpkin and rich from the groundnut paste.

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