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Isi Ewu Pepper Soup

Also known as Isi Ewu Pepper Soup (Goat Head Broth)

Isi Ewu Pepper Soup — goat head pepper soup — is considered the most nourishing of all Nigerian pepper soups. The entire goat head is cooked in the pepper soup broth for a very long time until collagen from the skull bones, gelatine from the jaw, marrow from the facial bones and proteins from the cheek meat, tongue and brain dissolve into the broth, creating a liquid of extraordinary nutritional density.

Isi Ewu Pepper Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 whole goat head, cleaned, singed and split in half
  • Lemon juice, salt and potash for cleaning
  • 5 Atarodo (very hot chilli peppers) — whole
  • 2 teaspoons of ground uziza seeds — generously extra
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ehuru
  • 1 teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
  • Half a teaspoon of ground selim pepper (uda)
  • 4 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 2 big onions, sliced
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 8 glasses of water
  • A generous handful of fresh scent leaves, torn
  • A handful of fresh uziza leaves, shredded

Method

  1. 01

    Cleaning the Goat Head with Extra Care. Singe off all remaining hair over an open flame. Scrub every surface thoroughly with a stiff brush, lemon juice, salt and potash solution. Clean inside the mouth, around the nose, behind the ears. Rinse repeatedly until completely clean.

  2. 02

    Long Boiling for Maximum Extraction. Place both goat head halves in a very large pot with 8 glasses of water and all pepper soup spices, sliced onion, seasoning cubes and salt. Bring to vigorous boil, skimming foam continuously for the first 10 minutes. Reduce to very low simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. This long cooking extracts all the collagen, marrow and deep flavours.

  3. 03

    The Therapeutic Broth. After 1.5 to 2 hours, the broth should be deeply golden, slightly thick with gelatinous quality. Taste and adjust all seasonings generously.

  4. 04

    Adding the Therapeutic Herbs. Add scent leaves and uziza leaves in the final 5 minutes — both are considered therapeutic in Nigerian traditional medicine. Serve very hot.

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