My Kitchen Today: Nigerian Goat meat pepper soup

The pepper soup we eat in Nigeria is generally light and spicy and could be made with goat meat, chicken, beef, snail, fish or any other meat really, as well as herbs and spices. 

The Nigerian Pepper soup is Western version of chicken soup and it is popular for its soothing, restorative, spicy but very delicious potency. While it has dozens of variations, no recipe is complete without its classic seasoning mix made up of ingredients like ehu and chilli pepper. Others which are optional but I want to strongly recommend are uziza and uda seeds. You could see a lot people visiting the restaurants to eat the pepper soup as if it is impossible to make them at home. It is actually quite easy to prepare. This is not to send the restaurant madams packing but it is typically to get you to tantalise your family with your own cooking. There is a feeling that comes with seeing your loved ones enjoy food made by you. Let's go with  the goat meet recipe this time and we will add some plantain. I love the plantain taste in my pepper soup, yummy😋

Ingredients:

1-2 Unripe  Plantain

600g Goat Meat With Bones

1 Small Red Onion

 3 Tablespoons Ground Pepper (I prefer yellow pepper)

2 Tablespoons Pepper Soup Spice

2 Cloves Garlic, Mince

4 seeds Ehu or Ariwo or Calabash Nutmeg

1/2 Teaspoon Minced Ginger

1 Teaspoon uziza powder (optional)

1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Pepper

Dry or Fresh Scent leaves OR Utazi Leaves

2 Knorr Cubes

Salt to taste

Preparation:

Peel, and then slice your plantain into small pieces and set aside….

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

Wash and chop the goat meat thoroughly. Place the pieces of meat in a pot and pour enough water to cover the contents of the pot. Add the stock cubes, thyme and onions.Place on low heat and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes. This will help to release the natural flavour of the goat meat…

Note: It is better to blend your Onions or chop them thinly. 

Also if you have the dry uziza, rub it with your fingers to break them into tiny pieces.

After 5 minutes, lift the lid, add water to cover, leave to boil for 10 minutes…

Then add the plantain. You need to add the Plantain early cos unripe Plantain takes a while to soften.Now, leave to cook for another 20minutes or until both Plantain and Goat Meat are almost soft. 

By now, you will notice that some of the water has dried. Add more water to bring it to the level of the contents of the pot.

Add the ground Ehu, dry uziza, chilli pepper and salt to taste. Ehu has some spicy taste so you should add chilli pepper with care. Even though it is called pepper soup, you still want to be able to taste and enjoy the recipe itself. Too much chilli pepper will ruin it for you.

Cover the pot and leave to boil for 5 minutes and the pepper soup is ready.

Pepper Soup should always be served hot. It can be eaten alone with a chilled drink by the side. 

Bon Apetit!