Nigerian Pepper Soup is a spicy soup made with assorted meat, fish, poultry or bush meat and some hot local spices which gives it a strong and delicious aroma.

Pepper Soup is mostly sold in drinking joints, restaurants and eateries in Nigeria. It is usually named based on the type of meat used in making the soup.

Ingredients

• 500g Assorted Cow Meat (tripe, heart, liver&muscle)...cut into small pieces.

• 2 tablespoonful pepper soup spice mix or roasted Calabash Nutmeg a.k.a Ehu /Ehuru/Ariwo after peeling off the roasted skin.

• Habanero/Chilli Pepper (to taste)

• 2 teaspoonful Dry Uziza/basil leaves (optional)

• 1 tablespoonful of ground Crayfish

• 2 Stock cubes/stock powder

• 1 teaspoon thyme (optional)

• 1 medium Onion bulb (chopped)

• Salt - to taste

• Water (as needed)

in the absence of these spices, you can make use of only

Cooking Directions

• First, clean and cook the toughest meat first; which is usually the cow foot and tripe (shaki). Add salt and thyme, pour enough water to cover the meat and leave to cook for 35 minutes on medium heat.

• After 35 minutes, stir and add the cow heart. Cook for 10 minutes and then add the muscle (fuku) and the liver. Stir well and add more water to cover the meat. Add the chopped onions and stock cubes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

• Next, add the ground pepper, ground crayfish, uziza/basil leaves, the ground pepper soup spices, mix thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes or until the assorted meat are well cooked.

• You just made a sizzling hot pot of Nigerian pepper soup. Serve hot and enjoy. Pepper Soup can be served alone as a side dish with palm wine or any chilled drink of your choice.

• It can also be eaten as a meal, with Eko (agidi), Agidi jollof, boiled yams, boiled potatoes, boiled white rice and boiled plantains.

Stew is one thing that seems simple to cook, but somehow you realise you are not getting it right. It took me a while to figure it out and there has been no going back, lol.

Anyway, have in mind that the difference between two foods is patience. So, take your time to read and implement these steps. DON’T RUSH THE PROCESS...

Warning: If you are trying to keep fit or you are anti-cholesterol, this thread is not for you abeg.

Things you will need;

— Steamed fresh tomatoes mix. Tomatoes, tatashe (shombo) and habanero pepper. Do this in whatever ratio you want. I recommend 6:4:2 in that order. If the pepper/tatashe is more, the stew would be thinner, but spicier/colourful. So, nothing spoil at all.

— Knorr cubes (chicken)

— GARLIC (fresh or dry)

— GINGER (fresh or dry)

— CURRY

— THYME

— SALT

— Vegetable/Olive oil

— Onions

NOTE;

1- If you can avoid those refill oil, by all means do. They have a way of altering your stew’s taste.

2- If you are confused on seasoning brands to use, check HERE .

3- PLEASE, avoid those unnecessary seasonings in whatever you do. Mix your (natural) spices right and you will get the taste you want. Trust me, there is nothing like jollof seasoning or stew seasoning, it doesn’t exist.

4- I DIDN'T USE “TIN TOMATO” BECAUSE I WANT US TO KNOW WE CAN MAKE IT WITH FRESH TOMOTOES

Step 1 : Prepare your tomato paste. Blend with ginger, garlic and onions (if you want). Then tatashe for redness- this will make you do away with tin tomatoes. Bring it to boil, till ALMOST all the water is gone.

Tip : If you have coconut head and decide to use tin tomatoes, blend it together with your fresh tomato .

All you need in one picture. Take out the seeds from your tatashe/shombo and blend with onions, garlic and ginger.

Step 2 : Season your meat. Don’t miss this step. Season your meat with chopped onions, knorr cubes, thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg, curry, garlic, ginger and salt. I always add SALT after the meat has softened because it closes the pores and hardens meat.

YOUR STOCK (the water from your cooked meat) is one of the most important things in your stew. So, season well. When the meat is done, do whatever you want with it.

Pic 1 : Steamed tomatoes mix. Didn’t intend for it to dry this much.

Pic 2 : Seasoned meat

Step 3 : Set a pot on fire and put your vegetable oil. This should be dependent on the quantity of tomatoes and meat. However, the oil should “cover” the paste. Don’t bother about excess oil. If you put excess oil, you can always drain after frying your tomatoes and keep in the refrigerator.

STEP 4 : When your oil has bleached, put in your tomato mix and onions.

Step 5 : Put in your spices- your thyme, curry, garlic and ginger. Fry them together with your tomatoes. Turn down your heat and allow it to fry. This is one place you will appreciate a NON-STICK POT. Please, DO NOT COVER IT totally. You can cover slightly to avoid splattering.

Step 6 : KEEP FRYING TILL YOUR TOMATOES GOES FROM BEING A PASTE, TO BEING SEGMENTED. The oil would also float on top. You need to fry out the tartness.

Pic 1 : Bleached oil. You can see my stock behind. Pretty rich.

Pic 2 : Tomato paste at initial stage

Pic 3 : I wasn’t exaggerating when I said LOW HEAT.

Pic 4 : At this point you might think you are there, but don’t stop. If you stir it, you will see it is still like a paste.

 

STEP 7 : In addition to having pores, the color is darker. The tomatoes have also shrinked in size. There would be a rich smell, you can’t miss it. Once you achieve this, pour in your stock. Don’t pour all at the same time, should it be much. Stir the stew and if it is still thick, you can pour in the remaining stock. At first it will look like you have messed up your good work, have no fear, allow it to boil.

Step 8 : Allow to boil on medium-low heat. While this is happening, check for seasoning. Add salt and knorr cubes if necessary. Put in your meat, allow to simmer more...your stew is ready. Serve with boiled white rice, spag, yam...etc

Pic 1 : After a few more minutes. If you haven’t fried till you get this, I believe you know what you have been doing wrong.

Pic 2 : After pouring in my stock.

Pic 3 : My fried meat. I put it in after the stock.

Pic 4 : Stew is ready