Description
Spicy Nigerian meat pepper soup warms hearts with bold, fiery flavors that dance across your palate. Rich, aromatic broth packed with tender meat and zesty peppers promises a culinary journey through West African comfort cuisine you’ll savor until the last delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) meat, cut into cubes
Peppers:
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 1 tablespoon dried fish
- 1 teaspoon salt
Liquid and Oil:
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a substantial cooking vessel over medium temperature, creating a sizzling foundation for the soup.
- Introduce diced onions and gently caramelize until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Incorporate meat cubes into the pot, carefully searing and rotating to achieve a rich, golden-brown exterior on all surfaces.
- Pour in water and layer the flavor profile with vibrant bell peppers, fiery scotch bonnet peppers, aromatic ground crayfish, dried fish, zesty cayenne pepper, and a precise pinch of salt.
- Elevate the liquid to a rolling boil, allowing the ingredients to merge and develop complex flavors.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, covering the pot and allowing the soup to harmonize for approximately 45 minutes until the meat becomes exceptionally tender and succulent.
- Transfer the steaming soup to serving bowls, ensuring each portion captures the robust and spicy essence of this traditional Nigerian-inspired dish.
Notes
- Choose fatty cuts like beef chuck or goat meat for richer, more tender soup that falls apart easily.
- Control spice levels by removing scotch bonnet pepper seeds or using milder peppers like jalapeño for sensitive palates.
- Enhance protein variety by mixing different meats like beef, goat, and lamb for complex flavor profiles.
- Reduce cooking time by using a pressure cooker, which tenderizes meat faster and locks in deep, robust flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg