Sopa de mani (Peanut Soup)

Sopa de Maní is from Cochabamba. You'll need:
1 Tablespoon peanut oil
1 large onion, cut into a dice
2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup tomatoes, skinless and cut into a dice
(optional: 1/2 pound raw chicken meat, cut into bite-size pieces)
4 cups beef stock (can be ½ pound of chicken meat, cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup raw peanuts, ground in a blender, Pieces must be very small.
1 and 1/2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into a dice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot pepper sauce, to taste

How it?s prepared:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat and stir in the onion and carrots. Cook slowly until the onions and carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and tomato bits (or chicken pieces, if you?ll substitute meat) and let them cook slowly another 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Pour in the beef stock, the ground raw peanuts, and the potatoes (or rice). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook without stirring for 30 minutes.

Fry the remaining julienne of potatoes in hot peanut oil until crisp, then remove and drain on paper towels.
When ready to serve, season the soup with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with the crisp fried potatoes and a sprinkling of minced parsley. As garnish, sprinkle minced parsley, and a ½ potato cut in a julienne and fried in peanut oil, but the latter is optional.