SOUP RECIPES (PEPPER SOUP)

SOUP RECIPES (PEPPER SOUP)



Pepper soup is one of the most delicious Nigerian foods. There are different kinds of pepper soup- goat/cow meat pepper soup, assorted meat pepper soup and catfish pepper soup (popularly known as Point and Kill). It is usually eaten at exclusive bars and restaurants.
Why is it called Point & Kill?.  Usually when a group of guests arrive at these exclusive bars and order Catfish Pepper Soup, at least one of the group will need to go to a big bowl where some live catfish are swimming around and point out a catfish. The catfish will then be killed in the guest's presence and taken away for preparation. That’s why it called point and  kill.
                                                                  

Ingredients for Catfish Pepper Soup

• 500g Cat Fish
• 3 Ehu or Ariwo or Calabash Nutmeg seeds
•  Habanero/Chilli Pepper (to taste)
• A few scent leaves                               
  
•  Dry Uziza/basil leaves (optional)
• 2 medium onions (chopped)
• Salt (to taste)
• 2 big stock cubes
• Water as needed

NOTE: Uziza seeds are very pepperish. Be sure to taste before adding more (ordinary) pepper. The seed of ehu is one of the most relevant pepper soup ingredients and it requires a special kind of preparation.

Alternative Ingredients for Catfish Pepper Soup

1.     Conger Eel (Congrio in Spanish) is a good alternative to catfish. When buying the Conger Eel, ensure you buy the part towards the tail so that the fish cuts will not have big holes in them.

2.     Parsley is a good alternative to scent leaves.

                                           

Before preparing Pepper Soup

1.     To prepare Cat Fish Pepper Soup, wash and cut the cat fish into 1-inch thick slices. Boil some hot water and pour on the pieces of fish, stir and remove immediately. This toughens the skin of the fish so that it does not fall apart during cooking.

2.     Now it is time to prepare the 'secret' ingredient. Using an old frying pan, roast the Ehu seeds (stirring constantly) till you can smell it. Don't worry you will know when it is OK to take it off because it has a distinctive aroma. Another way to know that it is OK is to take one of the seeds and try to remove the outer membrane. If the membrane comes off easily, then the Ehu is done.

3.     Peel off the membrane from all the Ehu seeds and grind with a dry mill.

4.     Cut the onions into tiny pieces.

5.     Wash and pick the scent leaves and tear them up with your fingers into small pieces.

                                                    

Cooking Directions

1.     Place the pieces of fish in a pot and pour water to just cover the fish, add the stock cubes and start cooking.

2.     Once it starts to boil add the ground ehu, onions and scent leaves and continue cooking.

3.     Once the catfish is done, add salt to taste and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes and it's ready!

Catfish Pepper Soup should always be served hot. It can be eaten with Agidi, boiled white rice or boiled yam.