Mama’s Salmon Pepper Soup
By OcadoLife
Published on 06 March 2026
From Nigerian street-food aficionados The Flygerians (otherwise known as chef sisters Jess and Jo Edun), Mama’s Salmon Pepper Soup is a warming, spicy broth steeped in family history. “It’s inspired by women like our grandma, who moved to London for new opportunities and a fresh start, bringing their culture with them through food,” they say. A twist on a Nigerian classic, the soup captures the spirit of the original with a few ingredient swaps as some traditional West African ones aren’t always easily available. Time and servings
45 minsTotal time
4Servings
20 minsPrep time
25 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 1 tsp whole cloves or ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 romano pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet, roughly chopped (deseed for less heat)
- 1 tbsp hot curry powder
- 1 tbsp Maggi Liquid Seasoning
- 600ml fish bone broth
- 4 skinless salmon fillets, cut into large chunks
- 150g spinach, finely chopped
- 30g basil, leaves picked and roughly torn
Method
Step 1
First make the spice mix. If using whole cloves, toast in a dry frying pan for around 2 mins until fragrant. Grind to a fine powder then mix with the nutmeg, white pepper, black pepper, onion powder and chilli flakes, if using. Set aside 1 tbsp in a small bowl and pour the rest into an airtight jar (it will keep for up to 3 months).Step 2
Blitz the onion, garlic, romano pepper and scotch bonnet in a high-speed blender with a splash of water until smooth.Step 3
Tip the mixture into a saucepan with the reserved 1 tbsp spice mix, the curry powder and Maggi Liquid Seasoning. Add the fish bone broth plus 400 ml cold water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for around 10 mins.Step 4
Add the salmon and continue to cook for 10 mins until it flakes easily. Stir in the spinach and basil, and cook for 2 mins more. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.