HOW TO COOK FISHERMAN SOUP.

Fisherman soup is a soup delicacy that is native to southern Nigeria, especially for people of communities that are dwelling on the Riversides, islands which terminates at the Atlantic ocean. Fisherman soup is native to people of Akwa ibom State, Cross River, port Harcourt and Delta State. Overtime, fisherman soup has become a widely cooked and enjoyed soup delicacy, people from other places now cook and enjoy it. But then, many people do not know how to cook it.

Fisherman soup is a special but a bit costly delicacy. It is very rich in nutrients, this is because many of the ingredients are seafoods materials and they are very rich in nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The catfish, which is the major base material contains oil that is very rich in Omega-3 Fatty acids which is very helpful in the brain development of infants. In making the soup, one needs a whole lots of vital ingredients, some of these ingredients are Adjuncts, that is, they are optional. The ingredients are listed below.

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR MAKING FISHERMAN SOUP

* Fresh and matured Catfish

* Prawns or Shrimps

* Periwinkles

* whelks

* Crabs (optional)

* Dry Fish

* Stock fish

* Ground or sliced scotch bonnet (fresh pepper)

* ground red pepper (optional)

* Sliced Onions

* Ground Uziza seed

* Ground Crayfish

* Palm oil.

* salt

* seasoning cubes

* Sliced or Shredded Uziza leaves.

* Yam/ cocoyam flour or paste.

* Sliced Okra (optional)

PROCEDURES FOR MAKING FISHERMAN SOUP.

The step by step procedures for making fisherman soup are listed below.

1. Wash the Catfish thoroughly to remove any dirts and slimy substances. Then cut with a sharp knife into slices.

2. Place a pot on Fire, pour in the Catfish, add 3g of the ground Uziza seed, and the sliced onion, cover it and steam for like 5mins, open and gently stir, pour in the already thoroughly washed prawns and or Shrimps, periwinkles, whelks, and crabs. Cover the pot and steam for additional 5mins. Then, Add a cup of clean water into the steamed ingredients, add 1/2 teaspoon of table salt, 2 cubes of seasoning, then add the fresh pepper and about 1-2g of red pepper. (Optional) for people who don’t enjoy much peppery foods. Start cooking the mixture for 5-7mins, bring it down and set aside.

3 Pre -cook the already soaked Dry fish and stock fish for 3mins and set aside.

4. Place a pot on fire and pour a reasonable volume of Palm oil, mildly heat the oil for few seconds. Then pour about 20-30gram of the yam flour or cocoyam flour as the case maybe, mildly fry for few seconds to aid the easy dissolution of the starch molecules to avoid lumps when water will be added. Then add a cup of water to dissolve the flour. Please note that the yam or cocoyam flour serves as a thickener in the soup. In the case of using fresh yam or cocoyam, the yam or cocoyam is cooked and pounded properly, thereafter the yam or cocoyam paste is dissolved in a reasonable quantity of boiling water containing palm oil.

5. Gently pour the catfish into the already dissolved yam flour or paste, in the case of fresh yam or cocoyam. Then pour in the stockfish and and dry fish, add the the crayfish, gently stir the whole mixture, cover the pot and cook for 5-7mins.

6. Add the sliced or shredded Uziza leaves and the Okra. Please note that addition of little quantity of okra is optional because it’s a vegetable too, so, since Uziza leaves is being added, one can decide not to add Okra. Also, some people don’t like to feel any slimy or drawing substance on their soup. so, for such people, Okra wouldn’t be part of their ingredients when making fisherman soup. After the addition of the leaves or the okra, or both, cook the soup for additional 2mins and the soup is done.

Fisherman soup can be served with any kind of swallow, depending on individual choices. It is enjoyed with pounded yam, semovita, garri, starch, etc.

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