Nsala Soup
If you've got goat meat or beef, yam and utazi leaves, you're most of the way to this beef: about 70 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Fish Shellfish
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page β how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Wash the meat and stockfish well, place in a pot with the chopped onion, one seasoning cube and a little salt, then add enough water to cover and boil for 25 to 35 minutes until the meat is tender.
- While the meat cooks, peel the yam, cut into chunks and boil in a separate pot of water for about 15 minutes until very soft, then pound or mash a portion into a smooth paste to thicken the soup.
- Finely slice the utazi and uziza leaves, reserving a little utazi, and grind or blend the fresh chilli pepper with the ground crayfish and ogiri.
- Add the remaining water to the meat pot and bring back to a simmer, then stir in the crayfish, ogiri and pepper blend and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Drop the mashed yam into the simmering broth in small lumps and stir gently, allowing it to dissolve and thicken the soup over about 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced uziza and most of the utazi, season with the second seasoning cube and salt to taste, and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the meat is fully cooked through and the flavours meld.
- Garnish with the reserved utazi leaves for a gentle bitter note and serve the soup hot, on its own or with a side of pounded yam.
You'll use: Large pot Β· Saucepan Β· Blender
Tips & common questions
How long does Nsala Soup take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe β rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Nsala Soup is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Nsala Soup (Pepper soup).jpg by Edriiic, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.