Hot Peanut Soup

sautee the onion in the oil until just translucent. Stir in the cayenne powder and fresh ginger. Add in the carrots and sautee a few more minutes. Mix in the potatoes and stock or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat just a little bit and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the veggies are tender. In a blender or food processor puree the veggies and cooking juices until smooth, adding tomato juice if necessary to smooth out. Put that puree back in the soup pot, and add the rest of the tomato juice, as well as the peanut butter, stirring until well-mixed. now, you can taste it at this point and add heat if necessary.... it should be slightly sweet, depending on the sweetness of the veggies. If its not slightly sweet, add the sugar in VERY small amounts.. a little really does go a long way. at this point, i added the three drops/dollops of Daves Insanity sauce... which brought it up to a good heat level. Now, put it in the bowls and top with LOTS of chopped chive.. it adds a really neat flavor to the soup. This really is one of my favorite soups to serve to guests.. i make it specially mild, and they LOVE it! Of course, i have to put out the hot sauce for my Chile-Eatin friends (kinda like kissin cousins, only better). anyway.. i really hope you all like this one as much as I do... Its a lot of fun to eat:) Posted to CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V3 #209, by Linda Huegel <eris@email.unc.edu> on Sun, 12 Jan 1997.