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Fisherman soup
Fisherman soup: the light, fiery seafood soup of the Rivers and Bayelsa creeks
Fishing families in the creeks of Rivers and Bayelsa made this soup from whatever came in on the boat, and it is still the pride of Port Harcourt and Yenagoa kitchens. Unlike heavier Nigerian soups it is light and brothy, just thickened with a little cocoyam paste, so the sweetness of fresh fish, prawns and periwinkles comes through the scotch bonnet heat and the scent leaf. Eat it with boiled yam, plantain or a light swallow such as eba or starch. Buy shellfish from a reputable fishmonger, discard any periwinkles with broken shells, and if you add clams, throw away any that stay open when tapped before cooking or stay shut after. Chef's tip: add the seafood in order of cooking time, fish first and prawns last, so nothing turns rubbery.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
- 5 cups water
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 scotch bonnet chilliespounded
- 2 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 stock cubesfish or vegetable
- 3 tbsp red palm oil
- 5 ½ oz cocoyampeeled and cut into chunks; or taro
- 1 tsp saltto taste
For the seafood
- 1 ¾ lb fresh croaker or tilapiacleaned and cut into steaks
- 7 oz periwinkles, shelled or tail-cutbuy cleaned from a reputable fishmonger; frozen shelled ones are easiest
- 10 ½ oz large raw prawnsshell on, deveined
- 10 ½ oz live clams (optional)scrubbed
- ½ oz scent leaveschopped; or Thai basil
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Boil 5 ½ oz cocoyam in a small pan of water until very soft, then drain and pound or mash to a smooth paste.
15 minStep 2: Meanwhile, rinse 7 oz periwinkles, shelled or tail-cut in several changes of water and discard any with broken shells. Tap any open 10 ½ oz live clams; throw away those that do not close.
5 minStep 3: Bring 5 cups water to the boil in a wide pot with 1 onion, 3 scotch bonnet chillies, 2 tbsp ground crayfish, 2 stock cubes and 3 tbsp red palm oil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 4: Whisk the cocoyam paste in a few small pieces at a time until the broth is lightly thickened, like thin gravy.
3 minStep 5: Slide in 1 ¾ lb fresh croaker or tilapia and simmer gently, without stirring, for 6 minutes.
6 minStep 6: Add 7 oz periwinkles, shelled or tail-cut and 10 ½ oz live clams and boil for 5 minutes, until the clams open. Discard any that stay shut.
5 minStep 7: Add 10 ½ oz large raw prawns and cook just until pink and opaque through, about 3 minutes. The fish should now flake easily.
3 minStep 8: Stir in ½ oz scent leaves, season with 1 tsp salt and serve straight away.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fisherman soup take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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