Southern Africa · Soup
Supu ya Nsomba (Clear Fresh Bream Soup)
A fragrant, clean-tasting Zambezi river broth simmered gently with whole fresh bream, wild bird's eye chilies, and ripe field tomatoes.
The story
Originating along the prolific waterways of the Luapula and Zambezi basins, this delicate clear fish soup is traditionally prepared by riverine fishermen and households as a restorative midday broth. It highlights the sweet, clean profile of fresh greenhead bream (Oreochromis macrochir) without heavy oils or thickeners. Zambian culinary tradition dictates that fish must never be hard-boiled; instead, a gentle rolling simmer preserves the intact gelatinous collagen of the fish head and keeps the broth crystalline.
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