Nigerian Pepper Soup
A light, thin, fiery broth eaten across Nigeria regardless of ethnic group, popular as comfort food and a common order at leisure spots and bars, genuinely distinct from the site's existing Guyanese pepperpot: pepperpot is a thick, dark, cassareep-based Christmas stew from Guyana, while Nigerian pepper soup is a broth built entirely on native West African spices with no cassareep at all. Its real depth comes from a specific spice blend, uda (negro pepper), ehuru (calabash nutmeg), and uziza, lightly toasted before grinding to bloom their oils, a genuine authenticity step that's often skipped in simplified versions.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1kg goat meat or catfish, cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp uda (negro pepper), toasted and ground
- 1 tbsp ehuru (calabash nutmeg), toasted and ground
- 1 tsp uziza seeds, toasted and ground
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 scotch bonnet chiles, minced
- 2 stock cubes
- Scent leaf or basil, to finish
Steps
- Season the meat or fish with onion and a stock cube, and simmer in water until nearly tender.
- Toast the uda, ehuru, and uziza in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind.
- Add the ground spice blend and scotch bonnet to the pot and continue simmering until the meat is fully tender and the broth is deeply flavored.
- Adjust seasoning with the remaining stock cube.
- Finish with scent leaf just before serving hot.