Ofe Owerri (Ofe Owerri)
Overview
Ofe Owerri is a rich, green Igbo soup from Owerri in Imo State, Nigeria. Assorted meats, cow skin and stockfish are boiled with onion and seasoning to make a strong stock. Ground crayfish, pepper and palm oil are added, and the soup is thickened with smooth cocoyam paste. It is then filled with lots of chopped okazi leaves, which are slightly bitter and chewy, together with ugu or pumpkin leaves and sometimes uziza or ukazi. The result is thick, deep green and full of flavour. It is eaten with pounded yam, fufu or garri.
History
Owerri is the capital of Imo State, and its soup is famous across Nigeria as one of the most expensive to cook because of the large amounts of meat and fish it contains. It was traditionally a sign of a wealthy home and a generous wife, and it is still prepared for guests, weddings and special occasions in Igbo families.
Main ingredients
Okazi leaves, ugu leaves, cocoyam paste, palm oil, assorted meat and stockfish, crayfish and pepper. The soup is built on palm oil and leaf broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · More soups from Nigeria
Recipe
Method
- 1
Boil the meat, skin and stockfish with onion and seasoning until tender.
- 210 min
Add the dried fish, crayfish, pepper and palm oil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 3
Add the cocoyam paste in small lumps and cook until it dissolves and thickens the soup.
- 45 min
Add the okazi, then the ugu, and cook for 5 minutes.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 30m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
