Oha (ora) soup is a delicacy mostly enjoyed in South-eastern Nigeria. It is special because of the tender oha leaf used in preparing it, which is seasonal unlike other vegetables found all year round. It is amazing that the oha leaf can be the only soup ingredient that can make a whole difference in a soup.
Ingredients:
Oha leaves
Eight small cocoyam
Three spoons of palm oil
Beef: Includes best-cut, shaki (cow tripe)
Fish: Dry fish and stock fish
Chilli pepper, salt, and crayfish
Two seasoning cubes and salt
A teaspoon of Ogiri Igbo
Notes on ingredients:
Oha is a unique vegetable, so it does not have an alternative. If you cannot buy cocoyam corms where you live, you can use cocoyam flour. An alternative to cocoyam flour is potato flour.
The use of ogiri Igbo as a thickener is optional − it gives the oha soup a traditional taste.
Before cooking the soup, grind the crayfish and pepper and set them aside. Wash and boil the cocoyam till they are soft. Remove the peels and use a mortar and pestle to pound the corms to a smooth paste.
Use your fingers to cut the oha leave into tiny pieces. This technique helps to prevent the vegetable from becoming darker. This happens when you cut the oha leave with a knife.
Cooking directions:
Boil the shaki (cow tripe), stock fish and dry fish in a litre of water till they are well done.
Wash the beef and add to the pot of shaki and continue cooking. When the meat is done, add two stock cubes and cook for five minutes.
Add the pepper, ogiri Igbo and ground crayfish and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cocoyam paste in small lumps and then the palm oil.
Cover the pot and leave to cook on high heat till all the cocoyam lumps have dissolved. You can add more water if you feel the soup is too thick.
Add the oha leave and cook for about five minutes. Add salt, stir and the soup is ready. Serve with pounded yam, fufu or eba.
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