Goat meat Pepper soup

In a thatch  roofed local palm wine bar in a suburb of Nigeria you will typically hear men chatting at the top of their voices, did I just say chatting, no it’s always a yelling session on subjects ranging from politics to football . In the background you are likely to find bowls of Goat meat Peppersoup and bottles of beer or palm wine on the tables  and service boys or girls going back and forth with more Goat meat  Peppersoup bowls from the kitchen.

Pepper soup has however found its way from humble palm wine bars in villages onto starter menus of five star hotels in Nigeria. It also features quite regularly as a starter at parties.
Different versions of this Nigerian signature dish abound depending on the protein or spice combination used.
I always drop a little piece of yam to cook my Peppersoup as this brings a little bit of texture to the soup so it does not feel like you are drinking meat stock.
The final result of any Peppersoup is the ability to combine the spice and herb perfectly.
I see stuff sold in the market as Peppersoup spices, but nothing beats you doing it your self at home . In my dish today I used Uda( African guinea pepper) , African nutmeg, Utazi and Ntong( effirin / Nchawun ).
As Nigeria celebrates  its 52nd year independence  from colonial rule ,raise your glasses and spoon your Goat meat  Peppersoup and celebrate. Happy Independence celebration!

Recipe for making  Goat meat Peppersoup?

Ingredients
Equal portions of Goat meat, Goat liver, Goat trip, Goat intestine

1 tablespoon chopped Ntong
1 teaspoon chopped Utazi
2 pieces Uda( smashed and de seeded)
3 pieces Iwun/ Ehuru (peeled and ground)
Dry pepper to taste
Seasoning to taste
Salt to taste

Method
1, Cut meat into spoon sizes, wash and season with salt , pepper, seasoning and the spices and bring to boil
2, Drop in the small cube of yam and cook with the meat.
3, Add enough water to cook meat.
4, Taste to be sure meat is cooked and is soft. The liver cooks fast so you may have remove these pieces earlier and return to the pot when the rest of the meat is cooked.
5, When meat is cooked add the Utasi and Ntong , taste for salt and seasoning. You may wish to add more water if the water has evaporated . Your guests enjoy the water as much as the meats.
6, Remove the piece of yam and serve the Peppersoup hot.