Goat meat pepper soup and long grain rice

The rainy season is here once again, although my least favourite season, it gives me an excuse to use a lot of pepper and I'm not talking about the mild peppers that are ever so gentle on your pallet and when you eat them, you're unable to tell if you're eating a pepper or strawberries . I'm talking about the real deal peppers that come packed with so much heat, you get teary eyed and runny nose just standing around them and when used to cook, they warm you up on any cold rainy day. Now down here in the south south region of Nigeria, specifically Rivers state  Port Harcourt, when it rains it pours. So on this particular rainy day, the wind was blowing, the rain was pouring cats, dogs, cows, goats and all d farm animals. The cold was really getting to me ,  I needed some heat and I knew that a hot cup of cocoa wouldn't do a thing, then I remembered that I had this beautiful goat meat, chopped and waiting to fulfill it's purpose here on earth and I was ready to make it's dreams come true. So I decided to prepare the goat meat pepper soap and long grain rice. Now be careful when you're buying goat meat because not all goat meat are tasty. Always buy the male goats because they're are more tasty and cook faster  since the meat is not as tough as that of the female goat. I know you guys would love to try this simple but wonderful recipe

Servings: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS

1) Goat meat ( 500g, chopped  in small pieces but not too small)

2) Fresh pepper or Ata Rodo (Yoruba) or Scotch Bonnet (Spanish)- ( To taste)

3) Ehu or Ariwo or Calabash nutmeg ( 2 seeds)

4) Uziza seeds (1/4 teaspoon)

5) Onion ( 2 medium sized bulbs)

6) Scent leave or Mbedenji (Ibo)- ( 1 small bunch)

7) Salt ( To taste)

8) Long grain rice

9) Knorr stock cube ( 1 cube)

PREPARATION

1) Wash the goat meat  properly to get rid of any sand or dirt on it, after which put in a pot. Chop one onion and add it to the meat, season with salt and knorr cube. Cover the pot and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes. ( Ravineux Tip: When I steam meat, I don't add any water at first, just the onions and seasoning. As it steams, the meat releases it's own stock and cooks in it. In situations where I don't need the stock for anything else, I allow it to cook till it dries but if I need the stock, I add a little water after the meet has cooked in the stock for a while. This method gives a more concentrated stock that tastes great)

2) Blend pepper and onion together. Use a mortar and piston to grind the Ehu or calabash nutmeg and uziza seeds together till smooth. Wash scent leaves and roughly chop them.

3) Add a little water to the meat, remember the stock is soup so you want to have enough to go around. When the meet is semi cooked, add the blended pepper and spices, cover and leave to cook properly. If the stock reduces some more, add a little more water so you won't be left with  cooked goat meat and no pepper soup. When the meat is cooked ( to be sure, cut a piece of meat and chew, that way you'll be sure if it's soft enough), add the chopped scent leaves, cover  the pot with the lid and turn off the heat, the steam from the pepper soup will cook the leaves.

4) Cook the rice in salted water , when it's ready serve with the goat meat pepper soup.

Mine turned out perfect and it was the most delicious cure for a cold. Try the recipe and tell me how yours  turned out. Enjoy!!