Nkrakra (Ghanaian Light Soup with Chicken)
In short: A thin, fiery Ghanaian soup of chicken simmered with tomato, ginger, garlic, onion and scotch bonnet, served over fufu or rice. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Light soup, called nkrakra in Twi, is the thin, peppery broth that Ghanaians eat with fufu, rice balls or boiled yam. It is built on tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic and scotch bonnet, with chicken, goat or fish simmered in it. There is no roux or thickener, so the soup stays thin and bright, with a peppery heat that warms you through. It is a Sunday dish in many homes, and people also reach for it when they have a cold.
Instructions
- Blend the tomatoes, the chopped half of the onion, garlic, ginger and 1 scotch bonnet with 250 ml (1 cup) of the water until smooth.
- Put the chicken, sliced onion, blended mixture, remaining water, salt and black pepper in a large pot. If using a second scotch bonnet, pierce it once and add it whole. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.
- Reduce the heat, partly cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the eggplant and simmer for 15 minutes more, until the chicken is tender and cooked through (74°C / 165°F) and the eggplant is soft.
- Lift out the eggplant, mash it with a little broth and stir it back in to give the soup a little body.
- Add the basil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the whole scotch bonnet if you used one. Taste, adjust the salt and serve hot with fufu, rice balls or boiled yam.
Tips
- For the other classic versions, use goat meat (simmer 1 hour 15 minutes until tender) or add pieces of smoked fish for the last 15 minutes.
- For a hotter soup, blend both scotch bonnets. For moderate heat, blend one and add the second whole and pierced, then take it out before serving.
Questions and answers
What is light soup served with?
Fufu is the classic partner. It is also eaten with omo tuo (rice balls), boiled yam, plantain or kenkey.
Can I make light soup ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and tastes better the next day. It also freezes for up to 3 months.
Is light soup very spicy?
It is meant to be peppery. One blended scotch bonnet gives a pleasant heat. For a milder soup, add the pepper whole and pierced instead of blending it, and take it out before serving.
How long does it take to make Nkrakra (Ghanaian Light Soup with Chicken)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Nkrakra (Ghanaian Light Soup with Chicken)?
About 270 kcal per serving, with 27 g of protein, 12 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
