1
Season the fish
Season the fish with salt, a spoon of citrus juice if using, and a pinch of pepper. Rest while the broth starts.
Season fish
10:00
Equatorial Guinea | Soup
Pepesoup
A hot Equatorial Guinean fish pepesup with green plantain, tomato, ginger, chile, and a clear peppery broth.
Country
Equatorial Guinea
Region
Central Africa
Time
45 min
Serves
4
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Pepesup should wake the table up. Keep the broth clean, let the plantain soften, and lower the fish in gently so the pieces stay whole.
What the dish tastes like
A hot Equatorial Guinean fish pepesup with green plantain, tomato, ginger, chile, and a clear peppery broth.
When to cook it
Best for Celebrations, recovery meals, cold evenings, with a medium cooking level and about 45 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Steamed rice, boiled cassava, or extra green plantain
Regional lane
Equatorial Guinea national table. A verified Equatorial Guinea dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Pepesoup
Steamed rice, boiled cassava, or extra green plantain
Best route from here
Equatorial Guinea national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
45 min total
medium
2
Start the broth
Bring water, onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, ground spices, and scotch bonnet to a boil.
Boil aromatics
10:00
3
Cook the plantain
Add green plantain chunks and simmer until just tender.
Cook plantain
15:00
4
Add the fish
Lower the fish pieces into the broth, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook until opaque.
Swirl the pot instead of stirring hard so the fish stays intact.
Cook fish
12:00
5
Finish hot
Taste for salt and citrus. Break a pepper only if you want stronger heat, then serve the soup steaming hot.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.