Recipes of the World – from Nigeria

Fisherman Native Soup

Ingredients:
• Fresh fish
• 2 cups Clams
• 1 cup Sea snails
• 1 cup Periwinkles
• 1 cup Shrimps
• 4 medium sized cocoyam
• Fresh pepper
• Washed bitter leaves (one handful)
• 2 cooking spoonfuls of palm oil

Method:
1. Cook cocoyam till soft. Peel and pound till smooth with a mortar and pestle. You can also blend with a power blender or food processor, to make a paste.
2. Place fish, clams, sea snail and shrimps in a pot.
3. Add the seasoning cubes, onions, fresh pepper, palm oil and salt to taste.
4. Add water to level of the fish and cook till fish is cooked.
5. Add the cocoyam paste in lumps into already boiling soup.
6. Do not stir soup to avoid breaking the fish. Rather using the cooking spoon, fetch soup and pour back into the pot repeatedly while avoiding the fish, to mix properly.
And/or lift pot up from both handles and shake to mix soup and aid cocoyam paste mix properly, without breaking the fish.
7. Add periwinkle and washed bitter leaves, allow to simmer a few minutes more, and the soup is done!
Serve with any Nigerian swallow of your choice (Pounded yam, semovita, wheat or garri).