African Beef and Vegetable Soup (Nkrakra — Ghana)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2 pound) beef boneless chuck, tip or round, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds Hubbard squash*, pared and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans

Instructions

1. Heat beef, water, salt, ginger and red pepper to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Add squash; cover and cook until beef and squash are tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer.
3. Remove squash; mash or puree in blender. Return squash to Dutch oven.
4. Add tomatoes and beans. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Top each serving with hot cooked rice, if desired.

Notes

* 1 (12 ounce) package frozen cooked squash, thawed, can be substituted for the fresh squash. Add it with the tomatoes.