Catfish pepper soup is one of Nigerian’s most popular evening recipes. I have been putting this away for a very long time because of the complexity of the recipe. I was hoping to create a recipe that you could easily follow or replicate.
Catfish pepper soup (point and kill) is the most popular fish pepper soup in Nigeria. We also have cow tail pepper soup, Goat Meat Pepper Soup and several other recipes in Nigeria.
I like Nigerian foods to where I find it difficult to cope in foreign environments. Well, I think this is justifiable; I have been making Nigerian foods right from my eleventh birthday. I think the first food I ever made was vegetable soup with cow liver, my dad insisted. š
Below is the image of my favorite fish pepper soup (Point and Kill) as that is served in major restaurants and bars in Nigeria.
But Why Point and Kill
Well, catfish is the most popular fish in Nigeria partly because it can easily be domesticated and partly because it tastes nice in soups. In popular Nigerian bars, catfish are stocked in tanks or large bowls alive.
As a customer, you can choose the exact one you want, then they kill and prepare it for you.
So you point it out, they kill and make pepper soup out of it. Hence, point and kill. š
You will find the video for this recipe at the bottom of this page.
So here are the required ingredients,
Ingredients For Cat Fish Pepper Soup
I used just a medium-sized catfish, so this is the exact size of the ingredients that I used. You can choose to increase or decrease depending on the number of persons you are looking to feed and the number/size of the catfish you are preparing.
This would serve 3 Persons.
1 medium-sized catfish – 1.2KG
Half cup of sliced onions.
Scent leaves (a handful).
Utazi leaves (very little).
1 seasoning cube.
Lion pepper soup spices.
Teaspoon – (fish seasoning).
Half cup of ground crayfish.
1 teaspoon – Paprika powder
Fresh pepper
Salt to taste.
Tips and Tricks
It is better to use a smaller pot while making pepper soup so that all the ingredients would easily soak with the fish or meat, and it wouldn’t take lots of water to get the fish submerged.
Utazi is a slightly bitter leaf that is used for several foods in Nigerian. I use utazi for Nkwobi, pepper soup and African salad. Have you seen my page on how to make African salad (Abacha), it is one of the most popular and the easiest to make Igbo Food.
There are lots of fish seasoning spice in local Nigerian markets, you can use any one of them.
I use paprika powder just because I want my pepper soup a little red as you can see above, if you like it white, you can do without paprika powder.
Preparation
Step 1
We start by washing the fishes thoroughly, most people fail to do this properly. Normally, the fish is cut in the market by the seller to serve-able sizes so just transfer into a bowl and soak with hot water at 80 – 90 degree Celsius, very boiled water will end up peeling the skin of the fish.
Wash to remove the slimy outer skin completely.
Step 2
Prepare all the necessary ingredients, I had to pound the fresh red pepper and half cup of crayfish together with a mortar and pestle. Also slice the utazi leaves, onions, scent leaves and set aside in bowls.
How to prepare catfish pepper soup.
Step 3
Transfer the washed catfish into the cooking pot, as I advised above, it is better to use a small pot so the fish parts are very close to each other, this will allow the proper incorporation of the ingredients and help you make a very delicious point and kill pepper soup.
I think we are done with the hard part, fishes take about ten to fifteen minutes to cook, that is just the catfish. Electric fish and a few other fish found in Nigeria take just about five minutes to prepare.
Step 4
Once you have transferred into a pot, then start with salt, followed by seasoning cubes, fish seasoning, crayfish, pepper. etc.
Then add water, about 3 cups.
Make sure the ingredients are not suspended at the top.
Cook 7 minutes then add all the leaves, I also added some paprika powder because I love ‘dem red catfish pepper soup.
There are basic ingredients for making catfish (point and kill) pepper soup, however, you are free to spice up with flavors and spices of choice.
In the end – this is what you get.
Catfish Recipe | Pepper soup From Nigeria.
Equipment
- Pots
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized catfish ā 1.2KG
- 1/2 cup of sliced onions.
- Scent leaves a handful.
- Utazi leaves very little.
- 1 seasoning cube.
- Lion pepper soup spices.
- Teaspoon ā fish seasoning.
- 1/2 cup of ground crayfish.
- 1 teaspoon ā Paprika powder
- Fresh pepper
- Salt to taste.
Instructions
- Combine the crayfish and two scotch bonnet peppers, pound or grind them together. together with a mortar and pestle. Also slice the utazi leaves, onions, scent leaves and set aside in bowls.
- As always, we start by washing the catfish. Pour almost boiled water over the cut fish and wash to remove the slimy outer skin.
- Transfer the washed catfish into the cooking pot. (it is better to use a small pot so the fish parts are very close to each other) This way, they will cook better.
- Add 3 cups of water 700ml, half teaspoon of salt, followed by 1 seasoning cubes, half teaspoon fish seasoning spice, ground crayfish, and pepper.
- Allow boiling for 7 minutes then add the paprika powder.
- Taste for salt and pepper, you can add more pepper if you like.
- Allow a minute
- Add the leaves, allow to simmer for 3 minutes and you are done with this catfish recipe for pepper soup.
Video
Other Nigerian Recipes
Compare Other Desserts
Learn How To Make Nigerian Soups
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You will also find this recipe at page 72 of the Ultimate Nigerian cookbook
37 Comments
I am so going to try this recipe because I don’t want to fail my husband, I have cooked catfish before but I didn’t like it. Trust it is going to turn out well, thanks for this recipe
I don’t actually eat catfish until i met my husband, Now I use it for soup, stew already. I will be making peppersoup for the first time by the weekend, I hope mine tastes as good as yours. Thanks for the recipe
Am in the process of making catfish peppersoup. I followed every thing you said here and its looking good so far. Husby is like when will you be through? Cant wait to bring it down and enjoy it with rice.
Thanks.
Chayi! Nigerian Kitchen… o ga o.
I TRIED IT & WE REALLY ENJOYED IT THANKS ALOT EVEN USED IT FOR SYALLOW
Thanks for sharing….. I will try it out
This is yummsious!!!! Am wowed
Wao!I love this recipe. Am going to try, I know it will com very good. Thanks for shearing ur recipe…. Lov uuuuu
I am salivating already lol, keep up the good job.
Thanks for the catfish peppersoup, I love them so very much. I have gotten more tips from you.
Ure just the bomb tanx for creating dis forum and pls would luv to know how much is the cook book and is it possible for it to sent to my location. Tanx
wow dis is lovely am going to try d catfish peppersoup …….tnks
I prepaared it dis evening following ur steps n d ingredient,it was awesome,though i replaced fresh pepper wit blaack pepper n without utaazi,
Its a gud combination wit rice.
Wow. nice work. thanks for this lovely recipes
chy well done, i’ve been looking for whom to teach me catfish pepper soup recipe and i found urs easy to follow and delicious to taste. for angela jones in canada, use basil and a bit of mint for freshness, bye
this kind of pepper soup, is it eaten with rice or eba?
Thank god I fufill the choice of someone hart this site is too much
Tnk so much chy.even due i just want 2 try it tnk 4 u teaching us.love u
Weldone Chidi. Jst wanna knoow if d lion peppersoup spice replaces all d local peppersoup ingredients. Kindly reply. Tnx
Very appetizing
Infact, i love dis site, i just tried the peppersoup last week and it worked for me.
Wao….am speechless….men,,u ar gud Chidi.thanks…
My name is lekwachi and I have really enjoyed your tips on Nigerian foods, I purchased your ultimate Nigerian cookbook last month and have been making delicious foods since then. I also tried this peppersoup and it really turned out fantastic. I can’t wait to try all the recipes in this book, thanks.
Thanks for teaching me how to make catfish peppersoup o, my dad usually take us out to enjoy this delicacy and recently I went to visit a friend who prepared it and also reminded me what it felt like. So I googled it and was brought to your website, I am going to try it and surprise my Daddy, thanks
I can eat up to five plates of catfish peppersoup because it is super delicious, Usually I buy it from a cool joint in my area but I am now happy that I can buy just two big catfishes and make as much as I can eat. thanks chy for teaching me.
I cook well but Iām very opento different methods n I have found yours very helpful.I have tried out catfish pepper soup. Oha and many other of your recipes and they r wow. Iām very happy to have been a part of your network
What can i use in absence of fresh scent leaves in making cat fish point n kill..I live in Canada and we have only dried scent leaves here.which is not as good as fresh ones.i really like d fresh scent.
This is like a magic..I can’t believe I made it !
Thanks so much
Hello Chidi, You are indeed a great cook, I followed the video above to make my own catfish peppersoup and it turned out to be very delicious. My husband likes this catfish so much and usually buys it from a nearby bar but now he said my own tastes even better. Kudos to you o!
Thanks for the recipe, I like catfish peppersoup too, my family love them also. I just want to learn about other Nigerian foods. And I also have a special request. Perhaps I should send you a mail
Ok, you finally got me! Point and kill is my best dessert recipe, what will I do if God had forgotten to create cat fish, well… Maybe I would have tried mackerel peppersoup. Now that wouldn’t turn out well would it? Thanks for creating such a wonderful site for Nigerians. It is truly the best in the world
You’re the best!
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If I make three servings just like you did here, how much do you think I could sell one?