25/05/2021
Today's recipe: Cat-fish pepper soup🍲🌶️
INGREDIENTS:
To prepare Catfish pepper soup (Point and kill)
1.2 kg fresh fish
110g onions, chopped (1 medium)
2 seasoning cubes
1 tablespoons ground crayfish
2 scotch bonnet*
salt
2 big ehuru (3 small), ground (preferrable if you get seeds before grounding)
1/2 teaspoon ground uziza seeds
2 sticks uda
utazi leaves
PRE-COOKING NOTES
• The cooking time will depend on the type and age of the fish used. Fish being delicate doesn’t need prolonged cooking, so you will need to get enough flavour into it in the short time it takes to cook it. If not handled with care, it will break up. I used a mixture of spices here but you can use a store-bought pepper soup spice blend if you like.
• To prevent your catfish from disintegrating in your pot of soup, use hot water to wash it.
The hot water hardens the flesh, so you can cook it long enough to get the seasonings and spices into the fish.
• Do not overload your fresh fish pepper soup with too many seasoning and spices. If using mixed pepper-soup spice, use just enough to have a mellow (not harsh) taste.
Cook long enough to remove that harsh raw taste of spices.
COOKING:
• Wash catfish slices well.
• Pour hot water over the fish slices and leave to stand for 1-2 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water. Hot water helps remove slime from the fish, while keeping it firm.
Your Catfish is clean and ready to be cooked.
• Place in a pot and add just enough water to just cover the fish. Place over medium heat.
•Add onions, seasoning cube, crayfish, peppers and sprinkle some salt.
• Cover and bring to a boil.
Once it boils, add ground ehuru, uziza seeds and uda, gently shake and swirl your pot, cook for 5-8 minutes.
•Add about 5 leaves of shredded utazi leaves and some water. Do not stir.
•At this point, taste for seasoning. If not enough, add and correct to your taste..
Allow to cook for 1 minute.
Your Cat-fish pepper soup is ready!
Serve your Catfish pepper soup with boiled yam, plantain, rice, agidi .
