DIY Recipes: Here's how to prepare Nigerian Black soup

December 26, 2023 Lifestyle 4 Views

Black soup is a delicacy from the Esan tribe in Nigeria.

This popular Nigerian soup is known for its rich flavour and dark appearance, hence its name.

It is a healthy traditional condiment, and its ingredients function to regulate blood pressure, promote digestion, healthy bowel movement and many other benefits. The vegetables used in preparing this soup further contribute to blood pressure regulation and aid in weight loss.

Here’s a simple recipe for making this delicious and nutritious dish:

Nigerian Black Soup recipe

2 cups washed bitter leaves
Assorted meats (beef, goat meat, tripe, etc.)
2 cups washed and sliced uziza leaves
Half cup of sliced Scent leaves
Half cup of ground crayfish
2 tablespoons of iru (locust bean)
1 cup palm oil
Stockfish and roasted fish
2 tablespoons ground pepper
3 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste
1 chopped onion

How to prepare

Wash the bitterleaf thoroughly to reduce bitterness. Drain and set aside.
Wash and season the assorted meats with salt, chopped onions, and two seasoning cubes.
Cook the meats until tender. You can use a pressure cooker for a faster process.
Wash the uziza and scent leaves and grind them all together. These ground leaves act as the soup thickener and also give it a dark colour, hence the name, black soup.
In a large pot, combine the precooked meats, ground crayfish, stockfish, dry fish, pepper, palm oil, and remaining seasoning cube. stockfish, crayfish. Add some water and allow to cook for up to 15 minutes until the soupy mixture thickens.
Add the ground leaves consisting of bitter leaves, uziza leaves and scent leaves to the pot and stir well. Let it cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You can add more salt, pepper, or crayfish according to your preference.
Add iru to the soup
Let the soup simmer for an additional 5 minutes to allow all the flavours to meld.
Your black soup is now ready to be served, and you can pair it with any swallow of your choice.