Catfish and Unripe plantain pepper soup

[Gimbiya]

Catfish and Unripe plantain pepper soup



On the menu today is my delicious catfish pepper soup with unripe plantain. I mean, the weather in Nigeria right now will not permit me to think of anything other than spicy recipes, and rather than eat just pepper soup, I thought to add a staple to make the meal a balanced one. thereby, keeping my family warm with the spicy broth as well as satiated with the addition of the unripe plantain. 

This dish is indeed one to cosy up to, The fresh and fragrant aromatic spices and the fact that it is cooked slowly on low heat intensifies the flavors of this dish, making it just right for the weather. I am a seafood fan and i have been feeling feverish as of late, so having a bowl of this warm spicy broth along with the fish and plantains, makes it a wonderfully restorative dish for me this rainy season. 

This delicious dish is perfect for a family’s supper and it is incredibly easy to make, I will in fact call it a one pot wonder, there's not much fuss to it at all 

Lets cook! 

Ingredients

1) Fresh catfish 1kg 

2) Unripe plantains about 500g 

3) Blended crayfish 20g 

4) Blended dried chillies (as desired) 

5) Fresh scotch bonnets 5g ( I add this fresh at the end) 

6) Pepper soup spices (I usually make mine) 

7) 3 sprigs lemon grass 

8) Seasoning 8g 

9) Salt 2g 

10) Ginger and garlic 6g 

11) Small onion bulb 

12) Scent leaf to garnish 

Directions 
1) Wash the catfish and set into a large bowl, pour hot boiling water over the fish and leave this in for 3 minutes, pour the hot water out, you will find the slimy protective coating washing off, rinse with cold water and set aside 

2) Blend all the aromatic spices together in a dry miller and set aside 

3) Also blend the ginger and garlic with the onions and set aside too 

4) In clean pot, add in 3 cups of water or enough water to cook your fish, add in the unripe plantains, the blended spices, crayfish, dried chilies, lemon grass, ginger and garlic paste, seasoning and salt. Allow this to simmer for 6 minutes or until the plantains are tender


Cooks tip: this is the reason why I call it a one pot wonder, all of the ingredients goes into one pot almost at once, leaving no room for dirty pots and pans lying around and the best part, the dish always comes out delicious!


5) Now add in the fish head into the pot, fish head takes longer to cook, as compared to the other more tender parts of catfish. Give this 5 minutes to simmer slowly on low heat before adding in the rest of the fish parts. Give another 5 minutes and your delicious one pot wonder is ready!


Be inspired!