Pepper Soup
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Goat meat or catfish, cut into pieces — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Pepper soup spice blend — 2 tsp (or a mix of calabash nutmeg, uziza and grains of selim, ground)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, chopped — 1
- Ground crayfish — 1 tbsp
- Water — 1.4 L (48 fl oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Chopped scent leaf or basil, to garnish
Method
- Place the meat or fish, onion, water and pepper soup spice blend in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30–40 minutes (less for fish) until the meat is tender.
- Add the scotch bonnet and ground crayfish, and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and garnish with chopped scent leaf before serving hot.
Introduction: A fiery, aromatic light broth simmered with meat or fish and a distinctive blend of native Nigerian spices, a warming and restorative classic.
Cultural Background: Pepper soup is deeply valued across Nigeria for its warming, restorative qualities, often served to new mothers or anyone feeling under the weather, its distinctive pepper soup spice blend giving it an unmistakable aromatic heat.
Tips: Use an authentic pepper soup spice blend for the distinctive aromatic warmth this dish is known for. Simmer gently to develop the broth's flavour without reducing it too much.
Variations: Use chicken or beef offal for different traditional versions. Adjust the scotch bonnet quantity to control the heat level.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
FAQs:
Q: What is pepper soup spice?
A: A distinctive Nigerian spice blend often including calabash nutmeg, uziza seeds and grains of selim, giving the soup its characteristic aromatic heat.
Q: Is pepper soup very spicy?
A: Yes, it's traditionally quite fiery, though the scotch bonnet quantity can be adjusted to taste.
- Goat meat or catfish, cut into pieces — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Pepper soup spice blend — 2 tsp (or a mix of calabash nutmeg, uziza and grains of selim, ground)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, chopped — 1
- Ground crayfish — 1 tbsp
- Water — 1.4 L (48 fl oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Chopped scent leaf or basil, to garnish
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