How to Make Nigerian Pepper Soup with Goat Meat
Nigerian pepper soup made my childhood interesting, maybe that is why it is one of my favorite Nigerian meals.
Aside from jollof rice or any other rice delicacies, I love goat meat pepper soup so much, that I can eat it a whole day and never lose appetite for it.
This pepper soup is a popular and flavorful dish enjoyed in Nigeria and the world at large.
The pepper soup just features different types of meat like goat meat, chicken, fish, and even assorted offals like cow tripe (shaki), liver, kidney, and intestine.
What gives the signature name “Nigerian pepper soup” is the spices used in preparing it. The soup is heavily seasoned with pepper (which describes the name “pepper” soup), ginger, garlic, and a lot more which will be listed below.
When the weather is cold this pepper soup goes well for me because of its spicy flavor. The level of spiciness although can vary depending on personal preference.
Despite its spiciness, this dish still has some health benefits from the ingredients used in making it. Most of the ingredients like ginger and garlic are believed to aid in digestion and boost the immune system.
How to Prepare Nigerian Pepper Soup
It is very important to know that all meals have their variations, as they can prepared with more or less ingredients than what you know based on personal preference.
There are different varieties of Nigerian pepper soup based on the choice of protein to be used. We have goat meat pepper soup, chicken pepper soup, fresh and dry fish pepper soup, and others.
Anyone you choose can be enjoyed year-round, especially during the colder months, and can also be served on occasions and gatherings.
Sometimes pepper soups can be served alone but can also be served alongside dishes like white rice, boiled yam, or plantains. This is to help balance the heat of the soup and make it a complete meal.
Ingredients Used for Nigerian Pepper Soup
For this recipe, I will be making Nigerian goat meat pepper to be served alongside white rice. Here are the ingredients I will be using:
1. Goat Meat (Male goat to be précised)
2. Scent leaves
3. Fresh pepper
4. African Nutmeg
5. Onions
6. Ginger and Garlic
7. Cloves and coriander
8. Goat meat pepper soup spices
9. Salts and seasoning cubes to taste
10. Water as needed
11. Uziza seeds
Other Nigerian Recipes to Try:
- How to Make Oha Soup
- Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe
- How to Make Nigerian Okra Soup
- How to Prepare Atama Soup with Waterleaf
Cooking Direction for Nigerian Pepper Soup
The first step to cooking your pepper soup is to wash all utensils and equipment that you will be using as well as your cooking area.
Make sure your cooking environment and utensils are clean because hygiene is very important when it comes to what we eat.
Now let’s start cooking;
1. Start by toasting all the whole species like coriander, uziza seeds, and African nutmeg in a pan over a low heat for 1 minute stirring and swirling frequently until the fragrances start coming through.
2. Allow the spices to cool down before you blend them alongside other species like the cloves and others if any. When you have a fine blend set it aside.
4. Go ahead to wash and peel your ginger and garlic, and blend alongside your fresh pepper. Wash and peel your onions slice them into tiny pieces and set aside.
Please note: Uziza seeds are pepperish too, have this in mind when blending your pepper.
5. Go ahead to pluck and wash your scent leaves then slice them into tiny pieces and set aside.
6. Wash your goat meat into a clean pot, and season it with a little pepper, some onions, salt, ginger, garlic, and seasoning cubes. Cover and allow it to cook for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes, open the pot and add water that will be enough for your pepper soup. Cover and allow it to cook.
7. Add your pepper soup spices plus the remaining onions, ginger, and garlic as well as all the seasonings, salt, and seasoning cubes. Cover and allow it to cook until meat is soft and tender with all ingredients tasting perfect.
8. Add the sliced scent leaf to your pepper soup and stir allow it to cook for a while, turn off the heat and serve your pepper soup hot.
I will be having mine with white rice, come let’s enjoy ourselves together.
You can try this too: How to Prepare Afang Soup
