Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin Soup)

Ever wondered what combining pumpkin mixed with groundnut tastes like? I’ve got just two words …. Absolutely Amazing!!!

Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin Soup) is a popular delicacy from the Northern part of Nigeria.  It’s made from a combination of ingredients such as pumpkin, groundnut, Dawa Dawa, leafy vegetables, and spices.  It’s mainly enjoyed with Tuwo Shinkafa (Rice Fufu/Swallow) but any swallow/fufu would go perfectly with it. The pumpkin used in making this soup must be ripe before use.  Groundnut is another ingredient that makes this soup unique. You can use fresh groundnut or roasted but for this particular recipe, I used roasted groundnut.  As with other soups, the choice of protein is all up to you. You can use fish, meat, or any poultry available.

Ingredients You’ll Need In Making Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin Soup) :::

For this recipe, you’ll need; 

pumpkin, meat , smoked fish, sorrel leaves “yakwa” , spinach “alaihu”, tomatoes, fresh pepper (scotch bonnet/habanero), tatashe (red bell pepper), onion , groundnut , crayfish, dawa dawa , palm oil, seasoning and salt to taste

Preparation:::

The Pumpkin:  The pumpkin you intend using must be ripe. To begin, cut the pumpkin open and remove the seeds. Peel the skin off and rinse. Chop into smaller chunks and set aside.

The Leafy Vegetables: Pluck the yakuwa and spinach from the stems and rinse with clean water to remove the dirt and sand. Chop separately and set aside.

The Smoked or Dry Fish: Soak the fish in hot water till it softens then remove the bone. Rinse and set aside.

The Peppers & Tomatoes: Remove the seeds from the tatashe, Rinse the scotch bonnet/habanero, Tomato and Tatashe. Place in a blender, add some water and blend till smooth.

The Groundnut: If you’re using raw groundnut, place it in a pan and dry roast with the skin for a few minutes.  Peel the skin and place in a blender.  Grind till you have a rough paste (not too smooth)

Once you’re done preparing everything, it’s time to cook  miyan taushe pumpkin soup

Directions:::

Step 1: Place the meats and fish in an empty pot. Add the chopped onion, seasoning and salt into the pot. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes till the meat gives off its juice. Add the pumpkin and just enough water to cover the content within the pot.  Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes. By this time, the meat should be soft and the pumpkin dissolved in the stock. If there are still chunks of undissolved pumpkin in the pot, remove from the pot and mash before adding back into the pot. Set this aside.

Step 2: Pour the palm oil into an empty pot and heat up for 1 minute. Add the tomato and pepper blend into the oil and fry for about 10 minutes or till the oil settles on top.

Step 3: Add the meat stock with pumpkin from step 1 into the oil in step 2 and mix together. Add the groundnut paste, Dawadawa and crayfish. Mix till well combined and leave to cook for  10 minutes.

Step 4: Add the Yakuwa and Spinach, mix and leave to simmer on low heat for 3 minutes before turning off the burner.

Step 5: Serve with tuwo shinkafa or your favourite “swallow”

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