Pepper soup
A thin, fiery and fragrant broth of meat or fish scented with West African spices. It is sipped from a bowl and is a go-to for a chilly evening or when you need warmth.
Assorted meat pepper soup at Lagos Island: bob walker, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Pepper soup is a Nigerian specialty found in homes and roadside spots, with cousins across Ghana, Cameroon and neighbors. The spice mix usually includes calabash nutmeg, uziza and other regional seeds.
Explore the cuisine of Nigeria.
Recipe
Make Pepper soup at home
Ingredients
- 1 kg goat meat or chicken
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp pepper soup spice mix
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 stock cubes
- 1 handful scent leaves or basil
- salt to taste
- 6 cups water
How it's made
- Season the meat with onion, garlic, ginger and salt and place in a pot with water.
- Boil, skim the surface, then simmer for 30-40 minutes until nearly tender.
- Add the pepper soup spice, blended scotch bonnet, crayfish and stock cubes.
- Simmer another 15 minutes until the meat is fully tender and the broth is aromatic.
- Stir in the scent leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
- Serve piping hot in bowls.
Variations
- Catfish pepper soup: popular with fresh catfish.
- Chicken pepper soup: quicker and milder.
Cook’s tip: Add the delicate herbs last so the aroma stays bright.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Assorted meat pepper soup at Lagos Island: bob walker, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)