Meat, Africa and overseas
Lamb light soup with fufu
Lamb light soup with fufu is a Ghanaian broth made with tomato, chili and ginger, served with soft fufu balls. It serves 4, takes about 1h30 to make, is rated medium difficulty, and costs around €4.00 per serving. The key is skimming the lamb early and stirring the fufu vigorously until it turns smooth.
Tonight, we're tasting Ghana with a light soup, a bright tomato, chili and ginger broth with lamb, served with fufu.
- Total time
- 1 h 30
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost per person
- €4.00
- Calories per person
- 610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Fall
Despite the name, this isn't a soup in the usual sense. It's a tomato broth sharpened with ginger and chili, where lamb simmers until it falls apart on its own. The eggplant melts into it and thickens it just slightly, enough to give it body while keeping the broth light.
The fufu served alongside changes everything. This smooth dough ball gets dipped into the broth and swallowed almost without chewing, which turns this dish into something you eat as much with your hands as with a spoon. It's a good project for a Sunday when you have time to handle the broth and the fufu one after the other, for a table curious to try something different.
The ingredients
Butcher
- Lamb shoulder 700 g
Fruits and vegetables
- Tomatoes 5
- Onions 2
- Fresh ginger 1 tbsp
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Chili pepper 1
- Eggplant 1
Pantry
- Fufu flour 300 g
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Allergens Gluten
The step by step recipe
-
Cut the lamb into pieces and cook it in 2 liters of water with one onion, the garlic and the ginger, skimming as it cooks. 50 min
Let the lamb cook at a gentle simmer, it should fall apart easily with a fork.
-
Blend the tomatoes with the second onion and the chili pepper, then pour this puree into the pot.
Add the chili whole if you want to keep the heat mild.
-
Add the eggplant in cubes and let it simmer uncovered. 25 min
It melts into the soup and thickens it slightly.
-
Make the fufu by pouring the flour into boiling water and stirring vigorously over low heat until it forms a smooth dough. 10 min
If you can't find fufu flour, a very thick mashed potato or yam works just as well.
-
Shape fufu balls with wet hands and serve them with the piping hot soup.
Fufu gets dipped into the soup and swallowed almost without chewing.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick ripe tomatoes for the puree, they give the broth a rounder color and flavor than firmer ones.
- Taste the broth before adding the eggplant and adjust the salt then, the thinner texture makes seasoning easier to judge.
- Make the fufu right before serving, it firms up fast as it cools and loses its soft texture once lukewarm.
The variations
- Swap the lamb shoulder for free range chicken, which cuts the broth's cooking time by about twenty minutes.
- For a meat free version, use cooked chickpeas with a vegetable broth, adding the chickpeas at the same time as the eggplant.
- If you're short on time, swap homemade fufu for a very thick mashed potato, rolled into balls with wet hands.
What to serve it with
- Cold fresh ginger juice
- Fried plantain fritters
- A cucumber and mint salad
Storage
The soup keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and freezes well for up to 2 months. Fufu should be made just before serving and doesn't freeze well. Reheat the soup gently over low heat, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Questions about this dish
Can I make the soup ahead of time?
Yes, the lamb broth can be made a day ahead and reheated gently, which even deepens the flavors a bit. Make the fufu only right before serving so it stays soft.
What can I use instead of fufu flour?
A very thick mashed potato or mashed yam works well in its place. It just needs to be firm enough to shape into balls with wet hands.
How do I adjust the chili so it works for kids?
Add the whole chili to the tomato puree without piercing it, it flavors the broth without too much heat. You can also remove it before blending for a very mild version.
Why do you need to skim the soup at the start?
Skimming removes the impurities from the lamb that rise as a grayish foam. This is what keeps the broth clear and clean tasting instead of cloudy and dull.
How long does it take to make a lamb light soup with fufu?
Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.
How many calories are in a lamb light soup with fufu?
About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a lamb light soup with fufu cost?
About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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