Four peppersoup-inspired meals perfect for the cold season

When the weather is cold, our hearts desire comfort food to warm our bellies and soothe our hearts. Pepper soup has always being to go-to cold weather remedy. Learning how to make Pepper soup is easy and once perfected the pepper soup can serve as the perfect base for creating other meals. You can elevate your pepper soup to a thicker soup that can be enjoyed with any swallow of your choice. Pepper soup can be eaten with white rice. You can also make a porridge out of it or simply enjoy it on it’s own. Here are 4 quick and delicious Pepper soup-inspired recipes you can try to keep the cold at bay.

CAT FISH PEPPERSOUP

INGREDIENTS
1 Fresh Catfish, gut, cut & cleaned
4 Cups water
4 Tablespoons Pepper soup spice mix
Scent leave
½ Teaspoon Ginger paste
1 Medium sized Onions
3 Table spoons crayfish
2 Stock cubes
Salt to taste
2 Scotch Bonnets
½ Teaspoon Cameroon Pepper

HOW TO COOK
•There are different ways to wash catfish. Bring water to a boil, and pour all over the fish. Using a blunt knife, scrape the body of the fish and rinse in cold water. Half a lime and some salt then rub it all over to cat fish to remove left over slime and rinse with cold water. All the slime should be gone.
•In a deep pot, add stock cube, water, pepper soup spice mix, salt, cameroon pepper, ginger paste and ground crayfish.
•In a blender, add some water, the scotch bonnet and onions, blend till smooth and add to pot of broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes.
• Gently add cat fish to the broth, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Add some more ground crayfish to intensify the flavour.
• Pluck Scent leaves and chop or just roughly tear with your fingers. Add to pot of peppersoup and allow to simmer.

EGUSI PEPPERSOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Melon Seeds (Egusi)
3 Tablespoons Ground Crayfish
¼ Cup Pepper Soup Spice
½ Onion
Salt, to taste
1 Stock Cube
4 Scotch Bonnet
1 teaspoon Cameroon Pepper (Yellow Pepper)
3 Cups Water
Smoked Chicken
Handful of Big Dried Prawns
2 Cups Chicken stock

HOW TO COOK
• In a pot add chicken stock, water, pepper soup spice, Cameroon pepper, big dried prawns smoked chicken, stock cube and ground crayfish.
• In a blender add some water, the scotch bonnet and onions, blend till smooth and add to pot. Cover the pot and allow to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add melon to blender, add some water and blitz till smooth. Next add blended melon to the cooking broth and stir properly. Now you may need to add 2 cups of water or add more till you are satisfied with your consistency because the soup thickens as it cooks. The more loose the soup is, the more pepper soup spice you may need to add to enjoy the flavour..
• Cover the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid the soup burning.
• Taste for salt at this point and of is lacking, adjust seasoning. Add ground crayfish, stir and allow to cook for 3 more minutes.
Enjoy!

CHICKEN & PLANTAIN UKODO
INGREDIENTS
1 Hard Chicken (Old layer)
4 Cups water
4 Table Spoons Pepper soup spice mix
4 Fingers Unripe Plantain
Basil
½ Tea Spoon Ginger paste
1 Medium sized Onions
2 Table Spoons crayfish
2 Stock cubes
Salt to taste
2 Scotch Bonnets
½ Tea Spoon Cameroon Pepper

HOW TO COOK
• Cut chicken into smaller pieces and place in a pot to cook, add stock cube water, pepper soup spice mix, salt, Cameroon pepper, ginger paste and stock cube.
• In a blender add some water, the scotch bonnet and onions, blend till smooth and add to pot. Cover the pot and allow to cook for about 25 minutes (or till the chicken is almost tender)
• Peel plantains then cut into smaller chunks, add to the broth so it cooks together for 15 minutes.
• Add crayfish for added flavour.
• Pluck Scent leaves and chop. Add to pot of Ukodo and allow to simmer.
Serve hot.
Find out the last recipe on www.guardian.ng/contributors