Light soup (nkrakra) is the everyday lunch broth of Ghana's coast — a clear, peppery tomato-and-ginger soup that began as a fisherman's seafood broth on the Greater Accra shore before widening to goat, chicken, beef, or fish. The version finished with smoked fish is the Ewe-Anlo specialty, the smoke deepening its clean heat.
Bright tomato-ginger broth carries the protein cleanly; cayenne heat hits the back palate.
Simmering tomato + ginger + onion in chicken stock builds acid + umami balance; the broth stays clear because no flour or starch is added.
Variations
Palaver soup version adds bitter cocoyam leaves. Ground-nut soup version adds peanut butter for richness.
On the Palate
Where Light Soup sits in the Ghanaian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
4 steps · 40 min active + 30 min waiting
- 18 min
Brown 600 g goat or chicken pieces in pot 8 min with 1 chopped onion + 4 garlic + 30 g ginger.
Watch outBrown the meat well before liquid goes in — those seared bits on the pot bottom are what give the clear broth its depth.
- 23 min
Blend 4 tomatoes + 2 chilies + 1 onion smooth; add to pot.
- 330 min
Add 1.5 L water + 1 tbsp salt + bay leaf; simmer 30 min.
Watch outKeep it at a steady simmer, not a hard boil — gentle heat keeps the broth clear, since there's no flour to hide cloudiness.
- 42 min
Adjust seasoning; serve hot with fufu, rice, or banku.
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