Nigerian Ginger and Garlic Broth

Ingredients

• A big piece of fresh ginger (approximately about the width of a hand), peeled and grated or blended
• 8 to 10 fresh garlic cloves, grated or blended
• Half a medium chicken for stock — OR 5 glasses of vegetable stock for vegan version
• 2 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
• 1 teaspoon of ground uziza seeds
• Half a teaspoon of ground ehuru
• Half a teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
• 2 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish — optional
• 1 big onion, sliced
• 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
• Salt to taste
• 5 glasses of water
• A generous handful of fresh scent leaves, torn
• Juice of 1 lemon — added at the end

Method

1. 01

   Making the Stock. Boil chicken in 5 glasses of water with onion, 1 seasoning cube and salt for 25 minutes. Remove chicken, debone and set meat aside. Use the stock as the broth base.

2. 02

   Cooking the Therapeutic Broth. Bring the stock to a boil in a wide pot. Add the blended ginger and garlic. Add blended Atarodo, uziza seeds, ehuru, Cameroon pepper, ground crayfish if using, remaining seasoning and salt. Stir well. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes — this mellows the raw pungency of ginger and garlic while preserving their therapeutic properties.

3. 03

   Adding the Chicken and Finishing. Add deboned chicken meat back to the broth. Cook 5 minutes. Add torn scent leaves. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the broth — this adds vitamin C and brightens all flavours. Taste and adjust. Serve immediately.

More soups & broths

• Egusi Soup90 min
• Efo Riro75 min
• Gbegiri60 min
• Ewedu Soup25 min
• Ogbono Soup60 min
• Obe Ata60 min