Ager Leaf Soup with Beef and Smoked Catfish

Introduction

You extract the slippery juice from pounded ager stalks, then cook it with palm oil, blended bell peppers, tomatoes, beef, and smoke-dried catfish until the soup turns elastic. It makes a small pot for 2-3 servings and is designed to be eaten with swallows.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh ager leaves
• 2 tablespoons palm oil
• 0.4 kg beef, rinsed
• 1 smoke-dried catfish, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons nune (locust bean cake)
• 1 Maggi cube
• 3 fresh bell peppers, blended
• 5 medium tomatoes, blended
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

1. Scrape off the white flaky skin of the ager stalk. Pound gently for a few minutes to remove the ager pulp.
2. Squeeze the pulp in a small amount of water to extract the slippery juice. Sieve this product to separate the juice from the fibres.
3. Heat a little water in a pot, and add the ager juice.
4. Add the palm oil, blended pepper, blended tomato, beef, and fish. Cook for few minutes, stirring continuously until an elastic consistency is achieved.
5. Add nune, maggi cubes, and salt to taste.
6. Serve with swallows as desired.

Variations

• Replace the beef with goat meat if you want a firmer bite and a deeper, slightly gamier flavor.
• Swap the smoke-dried catfish for smoked mackerel if you want a less earthy fish flavor and a slightly richer finish.
• Reduce the palm oil to 1 tablespoon for a lighter soup with less richness and a softer red color.
• Replace 1 or 2 of the fresh bell peppers with hot peppers if you want more heat without changing the body of the soup.

Tips for Success

• Scrape off all the white flaky skin from the ager stalk before pounding, or the final soup can taste rough and fibrous.
• Sieve the extracted ager juice well so the fibres stay out of the pot and the texture stays smooth.
• Stir continuously after adding the palm oil, blended pepper, blended tomato, beef, and fish so the ager develops an even elastic consistency instead of clumping.
• Keep the beef in small pieces if you want it tender within the estimated cook time.
• Check the smoke-dried catfish for bones after rinsing so it stays easy to eat once the soup thickens.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in small freezer-safe containers for up to 1 month; after thawing, the ager texture may loosen slightly.

Reheat on the stovetop over low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring often and adding a small splash of water if it has tightened in the fridge. You can also microwave it in short covered bursts, stirring between each burst so it heats evenly.

FAQ

What does the ager do in this soup?

Ager provides the slippery, elastic texture that defines the dish. The pounding, squeezing, and sieving steps are what pull that texture into the cooking liquid.

Can you use dried ager instead of fresh ager leaves?

Fresh ager works better for extracting the slippery juice used in this recipe. Dried ager will not give you the same elastic consistency.

Do you need to cook the beef before adding it to the soup?

You do not need to pre-cook it if the beef is cut small and is a tender cut. If you are using a tougher cut, simmer it first so it softens before the soup finishes.

Can you make it without the smoked catfish?

Yes, you can replace the smoke-dried catfish with more beef or another smoked fish. The soup will lose some of the distinct smoky fish flavor if you leave it out entirely.