Saharan West African Peanut and Pineapple Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried pineapple pieces
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup minced green onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

Soak dried pineapple in a bowl of water until softened, at least 30 minutes; drain.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir sweet onion, celery, and leek in hot oil until tender, about 4 minutes.

Sprinkle curry powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt over the vegetables; stir to coat. Cook and stir until strongly fragrant, about 4 minutes more.

Add peanut butter to the pot. Drain about half the juice from the tomatoes and discard; pour remaining tomatoes and juice into the pot. Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Pour 3 cups water into the pot; add drained pineapple.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer soup for 1 hour. Stir cream, green onion, and garlic into the soup.