What Soup Can I Cook with 1000 Naira in Nigeria?
1. Vegetable Soup
Creating delicious and simple vegetable soups doesn’t require extra ingredients for thickening. Some easy and tasty options include cauliflower soup, lemon coriander soup, broccoli soup, and minestrone soup, where only vegetables are needed.
Ingredients
A friend shared a universal formula for vegetable soup that requires:
1. A vegetable of your choice (such as carrots, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, pumpkin, or any preferred type), around half to one kg. You can also use less edible parts of vegetables reserved in the freezer, like broccoli or cauliflower cores, tender leaves, and stalks.
2. Two medium potatoes.
3. One small onion, a couple of shallots, or a small leek, or one garlic clove (optional).
4. Salt to taste.
5. Herbs and spices according to your preference.
6. 1 liter of water or the same amount of broth (any kind you have available). Alternatively, you can use half water and half stock.
Instructions
1. Clean and cut all vegetables into large pieces. Peel and cut the potatoes, and peel and cut the onion or chosen alternative into 2–4 pieces.
2. Place all the ingredients in a large pot or use a pressure cooker. Cover with water or stock, add salt and any desired spices or herbs (limit to one or two). Simmer until the ingredients are soft.
3. Use a stick blender to blend all the ingredients. Simmer for a few extra minutes before serving. For a chunkier soup, cut the ingredients into smaller dices and serve without blending.
4. Optionally, drizzle extra-virgin olive oil, add a tablespoon of cream or sour cream, or a teaspoon of pesto. You can also toast bread slices for croutons, boil small pasta, spaghetti pieces, or rice, or render cut-up pancetta or bacon and distribute over the bowls.
5. If you have leftovers, freeze them (excluding garnishes) for easy reheating on days when you don’t want to cook.
2. Okra Soup
Okra’s sliminess comes from dietary fiber like galactan, araban, and pectin. Pectin helps control the intestines, lowers cholesterol, prevents constipation, and guards against colon cancer.
Loaded with carotene, okra has anti cancer and immune-boosting properties. Vitamin A in okra supports hair, vision, mucous membranes, skin, and respiratory health.
High in potassium, okra helps flush out sodium, aiding hypertension. It also provides calcium for bone strength and irritation relief.
For the best taste, choose fresh okra in season, usually summer, and opt for small to medium-sized pods.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh okra, washed, stems and tips removed, sliced into 1/2 or 1/4 inch discs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
- 1 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp cooking oil (peanut or corn oil)
1. Wash and slice the okra pods, then sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large dish, mix cornmeal, flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add the okra slices and toss them in the cornmeal mixture to coat.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat.
4. Add the coated okra to hot oil, shaking off any excess cornmeal before adding.
5. Cook for about 4–5 minutes until the okra is golden brown on all sides. Flip and stir the okra in the oil as it cooks.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove the hot okra and let it drain on a paper towel before serving. Enjoy!
3. Greek-Style Bean Soup:
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 3 15-oz cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves.
Instructions
1. In a medium soup pot, cook chopped onion in olive oil (EVOO) with salt and pepper for about 4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring regularly. Add garlic, celery, bay leaf, and oregano. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
2. Add broth, cannellini beans, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle 2 cups of the soup into the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Blend, then return to the cooking pot. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Off heat, stir in about 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and top each bowl with another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve with your favorite rustic bread.
4. Cabbage Soup with Smoked Sausage:
This is a simple description for a creamy cabbage and smoked sausage soup:
- Course: Soup
- Servings: 6 servings
- Calories: 324 kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1 package (16 ounces) smoked Kielbasa sausage, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small head green cabbage, chopped
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven, brown the sausage and set it aside.
2. In the same pot, add butter and cook carrots and onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the cabbage and cook until it wilts slightly.
4. Add potatoes, chicken broth, water, bouillon cube, and brown sugar.
5. Simmer with the lid on until the potatoes are soft.
6. Season with black pepper, caraway seeds (if using), thyme, and heavy cream. Simmer and serve.
What are The Best Soups to Cook with 1000 Naira?
How Do You Make Your 1000 Naira Soup Tasty?
Improve your soup making skills with these tips:
1. Roast or Broil the Meat:
Pan-fry meat before adding it to the soup for a deeper, spicier flavor. This works well for chicken and sausage, providing a richer taste.
2. Fry the Vegetables:
Roast vegetables before adding them to the soup for a charred, concentrated flavor. This adds complexity and depth to the overall taste.
3. Blend the Texture:
Mash some vegetables in the soup for a creamy texture with remaining chunks, or puree the entire mixture for a silky-smooth experience. Consider blending white beans for ingredients that are harder to puree, like beef stew.
4. Use Homemade Stock:
Whenever possible, opt for homemade stock. It jumpstarts the flavor-building process and enhances the overall taste of the soup.
5. Put Cheese Rinds to Work:
Freeze the last bits of hard cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino and add a rind or two to the soup. This imparts a nutty flavor and adds richness. Remember to remove the rind before serving.
