Cold Buster Sierra Leonean Pepper Soup

This week I have been sick with a horrible cold one of my children generously donated to me. Being a natural girlie, when I am sick, I usually treat myself to a healthy dose of sleep, lots of liquids, water, ginger and lemon tea and the Gilmore Girls (do not judge me), no meds.

In addition to that, I also make myself Sierra Leonean-style pepper soup. It has lots of onions, ginger, garlic, and HEAT! It is hot and spicy and the packs a nutritional punch that gets me back on my feet quickly. My pepper soup is not “traditional” per se, but it works for me. I can’t make fufu (sad sigh), so I substitute it with yams and plantain for starchy energy goodness.

If you are in London, you can get all the ingredients from local afro markets like Green Street and Walthamstow market in East, Brixton Market in South, Ridley Road in North and Shepards Bush in West. If you are not in London… Pele (sorry).

There are also a lot of YouTube videos on pepper soup. Most are Nigerian, but that doesn’t matter much because as neighbours, we all tend to follow a similar method.

Ingredients

3 Chicken maggie cubes (or Kallo’s Less Salt Chicken Stock Cube – will not give the same flavour but it is a good, reduced salt alternative)

5 large sweet white onions

2 teaspoons mixed herb mix

2 tablespoons old bay spice

4 frozen ginger and garlic cubes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon red palm oil (can be omitted)

2 whole scotch bonnet peppers (3 if you’re brave)

1 tin tomato

2 lbs on the bone Proteins, (Fish, goatmeat, chicken)

½ 1lb Tuba Yam

4 small Coco yams

2 Plantains

Method

1. Wash, season (with old bay) and grill your meat until fully cooked. Put aside and keep the grill juices.
2. Peel, wash and chop your plantain, coco yam and tuba yam into bite-sized pieces. – Put aside
3. Add oil to a pot and slowly heat on low.
4.  Peel, wash and chop your onions and add to heated oil, cook until onions are translucent and browned.
5. To the pot, add tomato paste, tin tomatoes, chopped scotch bonnet peppers, maggie cubes and old bay seasoning (to taste). Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Place the mixture in a blender and pulverise until smooth. Return to the pot and add the proteins (including juices), herbs, and enough water to just cover the meat. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add your coco and tuba yam.
8. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
9. Add your plantain and cook for 10 minutes. Be sure to check for flavour every 5/10 minutes, adding water and seasoning as required.
10. Serve and enjoy.

Tips:

Make a sitting stock with a pint of hot water and Kallo’s chicken cube. Add to the soup as it cooks to maintain water levels without losing flavour.

This is a lot of food, so I usually freeze some and heat up when a cold descends.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, so until next week, remember to always be good to yourself.

Mazel

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