Point and Kill Pepper Soup

This catfish pepper soup is light, fiery, and intensely fragrant, with a clear broth enriched by crayfish and traditional pepper soup spices. Fresh uziza, scent leaf, and a touch of utazi add a layered herbal finish that makes each spoonful bright, warming, and unmistakably West African.

Nutrition · per serving

315kcal

38gProtein

8gCarbs

14gFat

2gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

10 items

Fish and seasoning base

catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks700 g

red onion, thinly sliced120 g

fresh red chili, sliced15 g

ground crayfish20 g

pepper soup spice blend12 g

salt6 g

water900 ml

Fresh leaf finish

uziza leaves, roughly shredded20 g

scent leaves, roughly shredded15 g

utazi leaves, thinly sliced5 g

Tips

•If you can buy live catfish, ask the fishmonger to clean and cut it just before cooking for the freshest flavour and the classic 'point and kill' style.
•Pepper soup spice blends vary; if yours is very strong, start with 8 g and increase to taste.
•Utazi is pleasantly bitter, so use it sparingly for balance rather than as a dominant herb.
•This soup is often served on its own, but boiled yam or rice can be offered alongside if you want a more filling meal.

Steps

1
Rinse the catfish pieces well and pat dry. Slice the onion and chili, shred the uziza and scent leaves, and thinly slice the utazi. Keeping the leaf garnish ready before the soup goes on helps you finish the dish while the herbs are still bright and aromatic.
700 g catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks120 g red onion, thinly sliced15 g fresh red chili, sliced20 g uziza leaves, roughly shredded15 g scent leaves, roughly shredded5 g utazi leaves, thinly sliced
2
Put the catfish into a medium pot in a single layer if possible. Add the onion, chili, ground crayfish, pepper soup spice blend, salt, and water. Set over medium heat and bring just to a gentle boil; avoid vigorous stirring so the fish does not break apart.
700 g catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks120 g red onion, thinly sliced15 g fresh red chili, sliced20 g ground crayfish12 g pepper soup spice blend6 g salt900 ml water
3
Once boiling, reduce to a lively simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot gently instead of stirring. The soup is ready for the final herbs when the fish is opaque, flakes easily at the thickest part, and the broth tastes rounded and peppery.
4
Add the uziza leaves, scent leaves, and utazi. Simmer for 2 minutes only, just until wilted; overcooking dulls their fragrance and can make the utazi more bitter.
20 g uziza leaves, roughly shredded15 g scent leaves, roughly shredded5 g utazi leaves, thinly sliced
5
Taste the broth and adjust with a little more salt only if needed. Serve very hot in deep bowls, making sure each portion gets both fish and plenty of broth.

Origin & History

Pepper soup is a beloved Nigerian soup known for its light but deeply aromatic broth, often made with fish or meat and a warming spice blend. Catfish pepper soup is especially popular in southern Nigeria, where fresh catfish is abundant and herbs like scent leaf and uziza give the dish its distinctive regional character.

nigerian catfish pepper-soup pescatarian spicy stovetop west-african

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Point and Kill Pepper Soup

Steps

Rinse the catfish pieces well and pat dry. Slice the onion and chili, shred the uziza and scent leaves, and thinly slice the utazi. Keeping the leaf garnish ready before the soup goes on helps you finish the dish while the herbs are still bright and aromatic.

700 g catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks120 g red onion, thinly sliced15 g fresh red chili, sliced20 g uziza leaves, roughly shredded15 g scent leaves, roughly shredded5 g utazi leaves, thinly sliced

Put the catfish into a medium pot in a single layer if possible. Add the onion, chili, ground crayfish, pepper soup spice blend, salt, and water. Set over medium heat and bring just to a gentle boil; avoid vigorous stirring so the fish does not break apart.

700 g catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks120 g red onion, thinly sliced15 g fresh red chili, sliced20 g ground crayfish12 g pepper soup spice blend6 g salt900 ml water

Once boiling, reduce to a lively simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot gently instead of stirring. The soup is ready for the final herbs when the fish is opaque, flakes easily at the thickest part, and the broth tastes rounded and peppery.

Add the uziza leaves, scent leaves, and utazi. Simmer for 2 minutes only, just until wilted; overcooking dulls their fragrance and can make the utazi more bitter.

20 g uziza leaves, roughly shredded15 g scent leaves, roughly shredded5 g utazi leaves, thinly sliced

Taste the broth and adjust with a little more salt only if needed. Serve very hot in deep bowls, making sure each portion gets both fish and plenty of broth.

Origin & History