Do you remember my sambar recipe post when I said on a cold day I crave either sambar or pepper soup? I am a huge pepper soup fan from day one when I ate my first spoonful.
Every time I turn around there is always a new and yummy pepper soup recipe coming out. It is so spicy and yummy on a very cold day it calls my name and says, “Benazir I know you want it really bad go and make some.” There are many types of pepper soups and all of them are very yummy.
Put 4 to 5 cocoyams in the pressure cooker and when safety valve comes up, set the timer for 20 minutes. Turn burner off and let the pressure escape and safety valve lowers before opening the pressure cooker. Drain the cocoyams in the colander, peeling them is easy at this point and my hands won’t itch. After they are peeled, go ahead and set them aside for later.
I love catfish very much too and I also had some cocoyam in my fridge that I was more then dying to use up. I decided to put it in the pepper soup along with the catfish.
My husband had asked me this time not to put palm oil in the soup so I ended up adding 3 tbs of peanut oil to the pot. You don’t need that much because catfish is pretty oily by itself and oh my God it still is down and outright delicious. I added 1 small onion and caramelized it, you can add whatever color onion you choose then added the catfish and cooked it until it firmed up. I added 1 hefty pinch of crayfish and 2 liters which is a little over 2 quarts water to the pot.
Then I added 1 /2 tsp of red chili powder, you can also add 1 habanero or 1 scotch bonnets that has been ground up in a mortar and pestle. I have added 1 marble size of tamarind paste which is seedless. If you have one that has seeds in it take a pinch and soak it in 1/4 cup of water then squeeze the tamarind pulp and take all of the seeds out or you can use 1 tiny dab of tamarind paste.
You can make or buy your own pepper soup spice. If using a store bought one add 1/2 tsp. If making your own, Use the recipe from the Nigerian food recipes Tv site, I am posting links below on how to make your own and food.com has a great pepper soup spice alternative too. I am also posting the link too.
http://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2014/01/homemade-nigerian-pepper-soup-spice-mix.html?spref=pi
It is a well known fact now that I love whole spices only and I am not a fan of any store bought spices mixes that I rather make my own and we all have our preferences. I added 3 drops of either Maggi or Knorr aroma, 1 bullion cube, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small slice of ginger washed peeled and crushed in a mortar and pestle and several pieces of lemon grass. I cooked this for 30 minutes.
This is so delicious when it is hot and I have had it with oatmeal fufu for dinner last night and the leftover for lunch I had it with semolina fufu. These were delicious with this soup.
I think next time I make this I am going to make the corn and bulgar swallows too.
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