Soups & Stews

Catfish Pepper Soup

Name: Catfish Pepper Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 1000 g cleaned catfish steaks (Approximately 3 cm thick, with skin and slime cleaned by the fishmonger; thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator.); 120 g onion (Finely chopped.); 1000 ml water; 250 ml additional hot water (Only if needed to cover the fish.); 2 tsp ground calabash nutmeg (ehuru) (Food-grade and shelled.); 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero (Finely chopped, or half for milder heat.); 10 g fresh scent leaves (Washed and sliced.); 0.75 tsp salt (Adjust after cooking.); 1 small stock cube (Optional; check allergens.)

Catfish steaks gently cooked in an aromatic, peppery broth with calabash nutmeg and scent leaves. The nickname point and kill records a restaurant practice: diners select a live catfish before it is prepared. Both Flo Chinyere and Chidi Anegbu explain the name. Its identity also lies in technique: catfish cooks quickly and needs gentle handling, making this a useful separate recipe from the longer-simmered goat broth. Cultural context: A documented fish-specific pepper-soup preparation associated with restaurants and drinking spots across Nigeria; no sole ethnic ownership is claimed.

Catfish pepper soup with chunky garnish and yellow starchy pieces

Catfish_Pepper_Soup.jpg by Aderiqueza, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Serving variation: the photo includes extra yellow pieces and a heavier pepper garnish than this recipe.

Image details

None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.

Full source and image record

15 minPreparation

25 minCooking

4Servings

What you’ll need

4 servings

1000 g cleaned catfish steaksApproximately 3 cm thick, with skin and slime cleaned by the fishmonger; thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator.
120 g onionFinely chopped.
1000 ml water
250 ml additional hot waterOnly if needed to cover the fish.
2 tsp ground calabash nutmeg (ehuru)Food-grade and shelled.
1 whole Scotch bonnet or habaneroFinely chopped, or half for milder heat.
10 g fresh scent leavesWashed and sliced.
0.75 tsp saltAdjust after cooking.
1 small stock cubeOptional; check allergens.

Let’s get cooking

1
In a wide saucepan, combine the litre of water, onion, ehuru, chilli, half the salt and optional stock cube. Simmer for 8 minutes to flavour the broth.
2
Lower in the fish in a single snug layer. Add only enough reserved hot water to nearly cover it, then bring back to a gentle simmer.
3
Cook for about 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. Spoon broth over exposed fish instead of stirring. Check that the thickest flesh reaches 63°C and is opaque and flakes easily.
4
Add the scent leaves for the final 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Lift portions carefully into bowls, ladle broth over them and serve hot.

A little kitchen wisdom

Avoid a rolling boil and vigorous stirring, which break delicate fish steaks. This recipe begins with professionally cleaned fish and omits live-fish handling. Tell diners that steaks still contain bones. Timing: active preparation 15 min; cooking 25 min; additional passive time 0 min; conservative planning allowance 40 min. Some stages may overlap. Recipe status: Research draft; not kitchen-tested. Allergens and checks: Fish.; Optional stock cubes may contain wheat, soy, celery, milk or other allergens; check the label.

Recipe notes & sources

Research draft; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Point and kill, Catfish peppersoup

A documented fish-specific pepper-soup preparation associated with restaurants and drinking spots across Nigeria; no sole ethnic ownership is claimed.

Allergens: Fish., Optional stock cubes may contain wheat, soy, celery, milk or other allergens; check the label.

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Catfish Pepper Soup

Catfish_Pepper_Soup.jpg by Aderiqueza, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Serving variation: the photo includes extra yellow pieces and a heavier pepper garnish than this recipe.

Image details

None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.

Full source and image record

15 minPreparation

25 minCooking

4Servings

What you’ll need

4 servings

1000 g cleaned catfish steaksApproximately 3 cm thick, with skin and slime cleaned by the fishmonger; thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator.
120 g onionFinely chopped.
1000 ml water
250 ml additional hot waterOnly if needed to cover the fish.
2 tsp ground calabash nutmeg (ehuru)Food-grade and shelled.
1 whole Scotch bonnet or habaneroFinely chopped, or half for milder heat.
10 g fresh scent leavesWashed and sliced.
0.75 tsp saltAdjust after cooking.
1 small stock cubeOptional; check allergens.

Let’s get cooking

1
In a wide saucepan, combine the litre of water, onion, ehuru, chilli, half the salt and optional stock cube. Simmer for 8 minutes to flavour the broth.
2
Lower in the fish in a single snug layer. Add only enough reserved hot water to nearly cover it, then bring back to a gentle simmer.
3
Cook for about 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. Spoon broth over exposed fish instead of stirring. Check that the thickest flesh reaches 63°C and is opaque and flakes easily.
4
Add the scent leaves for the final 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Lift portions carefully into bowls, ladle broth over them and serve hot.

A little kitchen wisdom

Recipe notes & sources

Research draft; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Point and kill, Catfish peppersoup

A documented fish-specific pepper-soup preparation associated with restaurants and drinking spots across Nigeria; no sole ethnic ownership is claimed.

Allergens: Fish., Optional stock cubes may contain wheat, soy, celery, milk or other allergens; check the label.