"Point-and-Kill" Catfish Pepper Soup
The Soup Pot and the Swallow
Walk into an open-air Nigerian bukka and you aren't handed a menu; you're pointed toward a basin of live catfish. You pick your fish, and minutes later it arrives in a blazing, deeply aromatic broth. That’s Point-and-Kill. It is the ultimate taste of the homeland, a fiery cure-all born in the beer parlors and perfected by grandmothers. The secret isn't complicated, but it demands respect: you must toast the Calabash nutmeg to wake up its smoky oils, and you must shock the catfish with boiling water so it stays firm in the pot. It is remarkably simple, entirely unpretentious, and exactly what it tastes like in Lagos.
Before you start
Have your fishmonger prep the catfish to save time on a weeknight.
Ask them to gut, clean, and cut the whole fish crosswise into one-inch thick steaks so you can get straight to the cooking.
Ingredients
- fresh catfish2 lb
- lime1 med
- water1 qt
- Calabash nutmeg seeds4 small
- ground crayfish1 tbsp
- Scotch bonnet peppers2 med
- yellow onion1 med
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- garlic cloves3 med
- beef or chicken seasoning cubes2 large
- water or light fish stock4 cup
- fresh Thai basil leaves1 cup
- Grains of Selim pod1 small
Method
- 01
Clean the catfish steaks by rubbing them with lime juice and submerging them in boiling water to coagulate the slime.
Let sit for exactly one to two minutes until the slime turns white, then immediately drain, rinse under cold water, and scrape away any remaining film so the fish stays firm in the soup.
- 02
Toast the whole Calabash nutmeg seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until highly fragrant.
Shake the pan constantly for about three to five minutes until the tough outer skin loosens, then peel and grind the inner seeds into a fine powder.
- 03
Combine the stock, aromatics, spices, and seasoning in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a rolling boil.
Boil the water, onions, ginger, garlic, Scotch bonnets, ground crayfish, ground nutmeg, seasoning cubes, and the cracked Grains of Selim pod for five minutes so the spices violently mingle and perfume the liquid.
- 04
Gently slide the cleaned catfish steaks into the boiling broth, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for ten to twelve minutes.
Ensure the water just barely covers the fish, adding a splash more hot water if needed. Do not stir vigorously or the fish will break apart; gently swirl the pot by the handles instead.
- 05
Taste for seasoning, drop in the torn basil leaves, and simmer for exactly one more minute.
Turn off the heat immediately so the herbs release their oils without losing their bright, fresh top notes. Serve blazing hot.
Notes
Serve the soup blazing hot alongside traditional starches to soak up the phenomenal broth.
In Nigerian homes, this soup is a complete meal when accompanied by chunks of boiled white yam, boiled plantains, or a side of white rice.
Pre-packaged Nigerian pepper soup spice can be substituted for the whole spices in a pinch.
If you procured a spice blend from a local African grocer, simply use one and a half tablespoons of the mix and skip the dry-toasting step entirely.
From Cook Nigerian in America.