Hungover and in need of something fiery, spicy and rustic? Salvation is here. It’s called Catfish Pepper Soup. Nothing cures hangover faster than this hot spicy soup and I’ve made it even better with a little variation.
Catfish is a commonly farmed fish in Nigeria, well loved and eaten by many. I personally love catfish to a fault. I remember when I was pregnant and suffered morning sickness, I ate whole catfish at least three times a week, the spice helped. My fishmonger’s lovely wife got so accustomed to me purchasing the same fish and lots of seafood every week that she said “when you have your baby, you won’t be able too look at another catfish. She was so wrong.
Catfish Pepper Soup is sometimes known as “point and kill” in Nigeria. Why? Most bars and restaurants offer this service where live catfish are left swimming in large bowls and customers come around, point to the their choice and it’s killed, gutted, cleaned and tossed in the pepper soup broth. Freshly made, Awesome! Here is my take on the soup.
Ingredients:
I whole Catfish gutted, slime on skin cleaned with one lime/ lemon and washed
3 tbsp of ground pepper soup mix consisting seeds of
Ariwo or Calabash Nutmeg , 1 cluster uda uwentia/negro pepper, alligator pepper/ata’re, ehuru seeds, 3 tbsp ground pepper or chilli flakes , 2 tbsp dry scent leaves/wild basil ( I add my own blend of freshly ground black pepper and cloves) it’s the magic, really.
1 Habanero or scotch bonnet pepper finely chopped (wear gloves if you are not accustomed to the oils in this pepper before chopping, please)
4 garlic cloves finely diced
1 tsp Pure sesame oil
2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Ground crayfish
1 tsp locust beans
2 chopped spring onions to garnish
Seafood : baby octopus, squids, whelks (optional)
1 white onion finely chopped
3 sprigs of coriander
About 10 cups of water.
1 tbsp Salt
Method:
1.) Wash, gut and clean the fish and seafood with lemon, takes off the slime and the fishy smell reduces and salt then set aside.
2.) In a deep stockpot, I used a 25cm one, pour the water, add the blend, ginger paste, sesame oil, locust beans, ground crayfish, chopped onion, garlic and scent leaves and bring to boil. Carefully place the fish in the broth cover and simmer for about 10mins.
3.) Add the seafood and cook for only 5mins more, add coriander and some of the spring onions. Save the rest for garnish. Ajikespecial’s Catfish Pepper Soup is ready.
Note and Variation: I know this dish is not for everyone and I can feel people cringing from here. I have a solution. To get rid of the bone and what may appear like the ugly stuff to you just fillet the catfish like so:
I turned the leftover to a comforting and rustic Potatoes and Catfish Bubble and Squeak 😀 (Not that I mashed the potatoes)
Ingredients for this recipe can be purchased in most Nigerian and supermarkets stores abroad.
I hope you find the dish delicious, intriguing and full of lovely textures as I did.
Cooked with love,
Ajikespecial xx
ÁjikéSpecial 