Peppersoup

Overview

Peppersoup is a common soup in West African cuisine that is prepared using various meats, chili peppers and nutmeg as primary ingredients. Peppersoup is very spicy and goes well with a cold bottle of beer or soft drink. While it is served as an appetizer at official gatherings, peppersoup is more popular at pubs. In Nigeria, it is served at "leisure spots" as a recreational or "feel good" dish. Peppersoup cubes, a pre-mixed blend of spices used in peppersoup, are manufactured by one Nigerian company.

Description

Peppersoup is typically a watery, light soup. There are many variations of the dish in Western Africa. It can be prepared with various meats, such as fish, shrimp, tripe, oxtail, chicken, game, goat, beef or cow hide. It is sometimes prepared using several meats within the pot. Additional ingredients can include tomatoes, onion, green onions, garlic, sweet peppers, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lime juice. Fufu, a food prepared from boiled and then pounded cassava or other tubers, is sometimes used as an ingredient, which thickens the soup and serves to impart a creamy texture. It is sometimes served with side dishes such as rice or boiled tubers, or served atop these ingredients. On the western coast of Africa, it is typically cooked outdoors in a cauldron.

Peppersoup is considered to be a delicacy among riverine people in Western Africa. It is a popular soup in Nigeria, and in other English-speaking countries in Western Africa including Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. Some West Africans believe that peppersoup prepared with chicken has medicinal qualities, and it is served as a remedy to improve the health conditions of ill people Peppersoup is also sometimes consumed by new mothers, because it is believed by some to assist in the secretion of breast milk. It is also often consumed after wedding celebrations, as a means to restore health.