Clear Goat Pepper Soup with Fresh-Toasted Spices

Method

1. Put the meat and bones in a 22 cm pot, cover with cold water and boil over high heat for 6 min. When grey foam rises, tip everything into a colander, rinse the meat and bones well under cold water and wash the pot. This keeps the broth clear and free of gamey notes.

   Add in this stepGoat meat, bone-in 500 gGoat bones or beef soup bones 250 g

   high heat

2. Toast the ehuru, uda pods, uziza seeds and alligator pepper seeds in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 2 min, until fragrant. Crack the ehuru shells and use only the kernels; for uda, discard the bitter seeds and use the pods. Cool and grind finely.

   Add in this stepEhuru (calabash nutmeg) 1Uda (grains of selim) pods 2Uziza seeds (West African pepper) ½ tspAlligator pepper seeds ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

3. Blend the onion, scotch bonnet, ginger and garlic with 2 tablespoons of water. In the clean pot, mix the meat and bones with the blended paste, half the salt, half the stock cube and the toasted spice powder, then cover and steam without water over medium heat for 10 min.

   Add in this stepOnion ½Scotch bonnet pepper 1Fresh ginger 10 gGarlic cloves 2Salt ¼ tspStock cube ½

   medium heat

4. Pour in the water, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to low heat so the surface barely trembles and simmer for 1 h 5 min. A hard boil clouds the broth, so keep it gentle and skim off fat and foam now and then. It is ready when the meat comes away from the bone easily.

   Add in this stepWater 1,100 ml

   high heat→low heat

5. Add the ground crayfish and the rest of the stock cube and salt, and simmer over low heat for 15 min more to balance the flavour. Lift out the bones.

   Add in this stepGround dried crayfish 1½ tbspStock cube ½Salt ¼ tsp

   low heat

6. Turn off the heat, add the scent leaf and very finely shredded utazi, cover and leave for 2 min. Utazi is strongly bitter, so use it sparingly. Serve with plenty of meat and broth in each bowl.

   Add in this stepScent leaf or holy basil 8 gUtazi leaves (optional) 2