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Surinamese peprewatra
Hot pepper fish broth
Peprewatra: Paramaribo's hot pepper-water fish broth
Peprewatra means 'pepper water' in Sranan Tongo, and in Paramaribo it is the broth people reach for after a long night, on a rainy day or when they feel a cold coming: a clear, very spicy fish soup with Madame Jeanette peppers, onion, tomato and lots of herbs, often with a few pieces of cassava or plantain to make it a meal. Use firm white fish steaks with the bone in for flavour. The usual mistake is boiling the fish hard, so it breaks into shreds; add it to the hot broth and keep it just simmering. Chef's tip: drop the whole pepper in first and pierce it once; take it out when the broth is as hot as you like it.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb firm white fish steakssuch as snapper, kingfish or cod, bone in
- 1 limejuiced
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 onionsliced
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 handful celery leaveschopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 10 ½ oz cassava (yuca) (optional)peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 2 spring onionsliced
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rub 1 ½ lb firm white fish steaks with 1 lime and half of ½ tsp salt and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes. Rinse.
15 minStep 2: Put 6 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tomatoes, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and the rest of ½ tsp salt in a large pan. Pierce 1 Madame Jeanette or scotch bonnet chilli once with a knife and add it. Bring to the boil.
Step 3: If using 10 ½ oz cassava (yuca), add it now and simmer until tender, 20 minutes.
20 minStep 4: Lower the heat so the broth just simmers, slide in the fish and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily from the bone.
10 minStep 5: Take out the pepper when the heat is right for you. Stir in 1 handful celery leaves, 2 spring onion and ½ tsp ground black pepper and serve in deep bowls, warning everyone about the bones.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does surinamese peprewatra take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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