Pepper Soup

Pepper soup is a thin, hot broth with meat, simmered with ginger, garlic, onion and scotch bonnet. In Sierra Leone it is usually made with goat. The same basic dish is also made in Nigeria and Ghana, and the recipe changes from kitchen to kitchen.

What it really is

Goat meat, usually on the bone, is simmered in water with ginger, garlic, onion and salt until tender. Scotch bonnet pepper gives the broth its heat, and the cook adds it to the pot with the aromatics so the liquid takes on both fire and fragrance. The result is a light, clear broth rather than a thick stew, and the meat sits at the centre of the bowl. Recipes vary widely in how much pepper goes in and how the spice is blended, so one bowl can be mild and the next fierce.

How it's served

• Hot, in a deep bowl, with the broth poured over the meat.
• Bone-in pieces of goat, so some guests eat with a spoon and their hands.
• As a starter before a main course, or on its own as a light meal.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the meat, goat, and say whether it is bone-in or boneless.
• State the heat level. Say "hot" if the scotch bonnet is standard, or offer a milder version, because the spice varies by kitchen.
• The classic recipe has no common allergen, but ask about any stock cube, thickener or spice blend, which can add wheat, celery, soy or mustard.
• Say whether it is a starter or a main, and serve it in a bowl, hot.