| West African cuisine is unusual in that though | | | | 20 Scotch Bonnet Chillies |
| meat is a rare and expensive commodity and, as | | | | Juice of 1 limevegetables for stock (any mix of |
| a result most dishes are heavy on vegetable | | | | carrots, onion, courgette, collard greens, broccoli |
| components it's still difficult finding a truly | | | | stems, celery) |
| vegetarian dish. Part of the reason for this is that | | | | 1 small tin tomato paste |
| dried fish, fish heads and meat off-cuts as well as | | | | 2 onions, roughly chopped |
| animal feet and tails are often used as flavorings | | | | 1 tsp black pepper |
| for the basic stocks in just about every recipe. | | | | 1/2 tsp saltvegetable oil |
| The same is true of that most classic of all West | | | | 12 cloves garlic, finely chopped |
| African dishes, the chili-laden 'Pepper Soup'. | | | | First make a fish stock by gently frying 6 cloves |
| Recently I was working on a West African | | | | of garlic, diced carrots, roughly chopped onion, |
| themed meal for a number of friends an family. | | | | courgette slices, broccoli stems and chopped |
| However, several of the guests were vegetarian | | | | celery in a little oil until the onion is soft and |
| and I found myself in the unusual position of | | | | translucent. Add about 2l water and bring the |
| needing to make a vegetarian version of Pepper | | | | mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow |
| Soup. The basis for this recipe is my wife's basic | | | | to cook for 30 minutes. At the end of this time |
| Pepper Soup stock (she is Liberian) and a West | | | | pass the stock through a strainer into a clean pan |
| African recipe for for Moy-Moy (black-eyed bean | | | | and push as much of the vegetables through the |
| cakes). The resultant recipe is given below: | | | | strainer mesh as you can. |
| For the Moy-Moy | | | | Take 12 of the chillies and add to a large pestle |
| 500g black-eyed peas (Akara)salt and black | | | | and mortar. Pound to a rough paste then add the |
| pepper to taste | | | | chopped onion and pound this in to form a paste, |
| What you actually need is Akara powder | | | | along with the black pepper and remaining garlic. |
| (black-eyed bean flour) but this is difficult to find. | | | | Pour 60ml of oil in a pan and ad the chilli paste. |
| Simply add the beans to a coffee grinder and | | | | Fry for a few minutes (about 5) then season with |
| render to a smooth paste. Tip this paste in a bowl | | | | salt and transfer this mix to the pan with the |
| and slowly add just enough water so that you | | | | vegetable stock. Add the remaining whole chillies |
| have a smooth, thick paste. Cover with a cloth | | | | and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook |
| and leave for an hour. During this time the beans | | | | for about 30 minutes. |
| will absorb some of the water and swell. Just add | | | | At this time add the deep fried Moy-Moy and the |
| a little more water to return the mixture to a | | | | tomato paste and cook for a further 10 minutes, |
| smooth paste then season with salt and black | | | | or until the bean cakes have cooked through. |
| pepper. | | | | Serve in a large bowl, accompanied by rice. |
| You can use the paste immediately, but it tastes | | | | Traditionally the guests would spoon the soup into |
| much better if left in the fridge over night (the | | | | a bowl and mash the whole chillies with a fork |
| flavour will intensify). When you are ready to use | | | | before eating. |
| the mixture, stir the batter vigorously to remove | | | | Admittedly this is a very hot dish, but it has one |
| air bubbles then grease the bases of the wells in a | | | | remarkable property in that it brings out the full |
| muffin tin and scoop the mixture into the wells | | | | flavour of the Scotch Bonnet chillies (and they are |
| (filling no more than 3/4 full); the mixture should | | | | very tasty cooked this way). In West Africa this |
| be enough to fill at least five wells. Place the | | | | soup or its variants are used as a general |
| muffin tin in a large baking dish partly-filled with | | | | pick-me-up and whenever someone is feeling |
| water. Cover with foil and then bake in an oven | | | | under the weather then the soup is prepared as a |
| pre-heated to 190°C for about 50 minutes or | | | | general 'pick-me-up'. |
| until cooked through and firm. (Test by inserting a | | | | This pepper soup truly offers the real taste of |
| skewer into the middle of one of the cakes. | | | | West Africa and a version of this is known from |
| When the skewer emerges cleanly the cake is | | | | just about every country in West Africa. If you |
| done.) | | | | wish you can, of course use the basic pepper |
| Allow to cool then set aside. Quarter the bean | | | | soup recipe but substitute deep-fried fish or |
| cakes and deep fry in oil before adding to the | | | | chicken pieces instead of the deep-fried |
| pepper soup. | | | | black-eyed bean cakes. |
| For the Pepper Soup | | | | |