Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 1 kg goat meat (bone-in, cut into 4 cm chunks, or 1 whole chicken, jointed)
• 1 onion (large, chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 large thumb fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 scotch bonnet chillies (whole, pierced - or chopped for extra heat)
• 2 tablespoons pepper-soup spice mix (or substitute: 1 tsp ground nutmeg + 1 tsp ground allspice + 1 tsp ground black pepper + 1 tsp ground white pepper + 1 tsp dried thyme + ½ tsp ground cloves)
• 2 tablespoons crayfish (ground dried shrimp)
• 1 tablespoon palm oil (optional but traditional)
• 2 Maggi chicken stock cubes
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1.8 litres water
• 1 small bunch scent leaf (or fresh basil + a sprig of mint)
• 2 spring onions (sliced, to finish)

To serve

• White rice (optional)
• Sliced raw onion
• Lime wedges
• Sliced scotch bonnet (for those who want more heat)

Method

Stage 1 - Brown the meat

1. Place goat (or chicken) in a wide pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet (whole pierced), spice mix.
3. Cover with water (1.8 litres); bring to a simmer.

Stage 2 - Simmer

1. Skim any foam.
2. Simmer covered:
   1. Goat: 1 hour 15 minutes
   2. Chicken: 30-40 minutes
   3. Catfish: 12-15 minutes (add at the end)

Stage 3 - Season

1. Stir in crayfish, palm oil (if using), stock cubes and salt.
2. Simmer 10 more minutes.

Stage 4 - Adjust

1. Taste. The soup should be peppery, savoury, slightly oily on top, very flavourful. Adjust salt.
2. Fish out the whole scotch bonnets if you don't want everyone to bite into them.

Stage 5 - Herbs

1. Tear scent leaf (or basil + mint) and add to the pot.
2. Simmer 2 minutes.
3. Add sliced spring onions.

Stage 6 - Serve

1. Ladle into wide bowls.
2. Set out white rice, sliced raw onion, lime wedges and extra sliced scotch bonnet on the side.