Goat meat pepper soup

Step 1: Wash 2 ¼ lb goat meat on the bone well in cold water and drain. Put it in a large pot with 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 1 beef stock cube and 1 tsp salt. Cover and steam over a medium heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pot, so the meat soaks up the seasoning in its own juices.

Step 2: Pour in 6 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil, skimming off any foam. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.

Step 3: If making your own spice, toast 2 calabash nutmeg (ehuru), 2 grains of Selim (uda) pods and ½ tsp alligator pepper seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute, then grind finely.

Step 4: Add 2 tbsp Nigerian pepper soup spice (or your homemade mix), 1 scotch bonnet chilli and 1 tbsp ground dried crayfish. Simmer for 15–20 minutes more, until the goat is tender and comes easily off the bone.

Step 5: Stir in ½ oz scent leaf (or basil), taste for salt and heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve very hot in bowls, on its own or with boiled yam or white rice. Chill leftovers within 2 hours and reheat until boiling.