The broth is where the work goes. Ground pepper soup spice – ehuru (calabash nutmeg), uda, uziza and other traditional aromatics – is simmered with scotch bonnet, onion and stock until the kitchen smells the way a Nigerian home should. Assorted meat, including goat and offal cuts, is cooked long and slow until tender.
It is served hot, light and intensely peppery, with no oil slick and no thickener. That makes it a favourite through a London, Ontario winter, and a dish plenty of our regulars order when they feel a cold coming on.
What Goes Into Nigerian Pepper Soup
Unlike most Nigerian soups, pepper soup contains no palm oil, tomato or thickener. Its character comes entirely from the spice blend and the meat stock, which is why it is so light while still being deeply flavourful. Assorted meat means a mix of cuts – goat, tripe and other offal – each adding its own texture to the bowl.
How Spicy Is It?
Genuinely spicy. Pepper soup is meant to make you sweat a little, and we cook it traditionally. If you would prefer something gentler, egusi soup with fufu or Nigerian fried rice are far milder starting points.
Serve It With Rice or a Swallow
Pepper soup is often enjoyed on its own as a warming bowl, but many guests order it with white rice or a portion of fufu. Add peppered goat meat if you want more protein on the table. Find us inside Covent Garden Market, or call (226) 980-5149 for pickup.
