Peppersoup: an explosion of pepper and spices

Peppersoup is not only a light soup enjoyed with protein but also a power-packed soup with several spices widely known for its medicinal value.

Peppersoup Bowls (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

The secret of making a delicious peppersoup 

Peppersoup is one of the most popular dishes in Nigeria. It is enjoyed very hot and peppery. The mix of ingredients gives the soup its unique aroma and taste, and almost every ethnic group in Nigeria has its own recipe. Peppersoup is also known for its healing powers. 

Chicken Peppersoup (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Classic peppersoup

Peppersoup is a light, watery and peppery soup that is usually prepared with various meats such as fish, shrimp, tripe, chicken, game, goat, beef or cow hide. It is also prepared using a combination of meats along with ingredients such as tomatoes, onions and garlic.

Display of Peppersoup Ingredients (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Cooking peppersoup

Peppersoup is prepared with red hot and chilli peppers to bring out the genuine spiciness and unique aroma in them.

Ripe of Scotch Bonnet (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Red peppers

Apart from their spicy flavour, red peppers come with lots of vitamins. They are sold at the market and are beautifully displayed.

Basket of Fresh Pepper (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Yellow peppers

A combination of scotch bonnet and yellow scotch bonnet produces a wonderful peppery flavour.

Display of Peppersoup Seeds (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

The holy grail

Peppersoup seeds are the holy grail of the soup, used for pleasure or medicinal purposes. The seeds are also used in preparing agbo (bitters) and other medicinal drinks. Several seeds are used such as ehuru, usho usho, uziza, uda and other medicinal seeds that vary from tribe to tribe.

Ehuru seeds

Unshelled Calabash Nutmeg, locally known as ehuru seeds.

Ehuru seeds

Calabash nutmeg locally known as ehuru.

Umilo seeds

Known only by its name in Itsekiri (a tribe in the mid-Southern region of Nigeria), the umilo is shelled to extract the seed/kernel inside it.

Uda seeds

Uda seeds are also known as Negro peppers. The skin is ground and added to soups or bruised and used whole. Uda is also used to purify water, added to agbo (a local medicinal drink/bitters) and as extra flavour for palm wine.

Ehuru Ofia

African nutmeg locally called ehuru ofia in Igbo.

Uziza seeds

Uziza seeds also known as Ashanti pepper.

Ulima seeds

Alligator pepper also known as ulima is blended with the other seeds.

Pounding Uda For Peppersoup (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Blending the spices

Even though there are already blended peppersoup spices, blending the seeds directly with a miniature wooden mortar is locally preferrable.

Pounding Peppersoup Seeds (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Fresh Scent Leaf "Efirin" (2019)The Centenary Project

Efirin leaves

Scent leaf, efirin, is added to the soup for smell and more medicinal benefits. Igbos use scent leaf while the Ijaws use lemon grass and lime leaves with peppersoup.

Slicing Scent Leaf (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

It's time to cut the leaves

The leaves are washed and cut into smaller pieces using a sharp knife.

Stock fish head (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Adding stock fish head

Dried stock fish is a key flavour-packed ingredient in preparing Nigerian traditional soups. Stock fish head is considered the most flavourful for peppersoup.

Stock fish head (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Stock fish for fish peppersoup

The type of peppersoup one wants to prepare will determine the main protein one will use for it. Examples are fish for fish peppersoup, chicken for chicken peppersoup and goat meat for goat meat peppersoup. For all of them, the spices remain largely the same.

Pieced dry stock fish for washing (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Rinsing the dried stock fish head

The dried stock fish or smoked fish is washed, boiled or soaked in hot water to soften it for eating and to kill germs.

Washed stock fish (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Stock fish ready for use

Rinsed and softened dried stock fish.

Smoked crayfish (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Adding crayfish

Crayfish is added as condiment for fish peppersoup.

Seasoning fresh fish for peppersoup (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Making the broth

Fresh fish is first seasoned and steamed to produce broth for peppersoup spices.

Blended Pepper In A Pot (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Adding the peppers

Water and the combination of peppers blended together is added to the cooking broth.

Pouring The Peppersoup Spices Into The Pot (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Adding the spices

The bruised spices are added to cook with the broth.

Stirring The Peppersoup (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Stirring in the spices

Once the spices have been added, the pot of soup is stirred to incorporate spices in the peppery broth. Then, it is left to boil for 10-15 minutes.

Peppersoup Ready To Serve by The Centenary Project and 2019The Centenary Project

Ready to be enjoyed

The peppersoup is ready to be enjoyed with rice, palm wine, beer, boiled plantain or yam.

Peppersoup served with Palmwine (2019) by The Centenary ProjectThe Centenary Project

Spicy refreshment!

Peppersoup is often taken as an appetizer before the main meal along with a local drink such as palm wine.

Credits: Story

Curator: Omotunde Omojola
Research: Omotunde Omojola
Photographs: Barnabas Emordi / Chris Udoh
Text: Patrick Enaholo / Omotunde Omojola
Text editor: Munachim Amah

Special thanks to:
Mary Ihama (chef)

© The Centenary Project 2019

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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