Ofe Akwu
Aperçu
Ofe akwu is the Igbo palm nut soup, built on the extract pressed from palm fruit and cooked with goat meat, ponmo, stockfish and smoked fish. Akwu is the Igbo word for palm nut fruits, and ofe means soup, so the name is entirely descriptive. It belongs to a family of palm fruit soups made across southern Nigeria under different names by different groups. Banga soup is the Niger Delta version, Urhobo and Isoko in origin; abak atama is the Akwa Ibom one; obe eyin is Yoruba. They share the same base and differ in the herbs and spices each tradition uses, which is what makes them distinct dishes rather than one dish with several names. Palm fruit extract is not palm oil, and the distinction matters. The extract is the whole pulp of the cooked fruit suspended in water, thick and orange; palm oil is the fat pressed from the same fruit. Using palm oil in place of the extract gives a thin, oily soup instead of a rich one. Ofe akwu is served over white rice as often as with fufu, which distinguishes it from most Nigerian soups, and scent leaf goes in at the end.
Note de Patrimoine AFN
Ofe akwu is the Igbo palm nut soup, its name combining ofe, meaning soup, with akwu, the Igbo word for palm nut fruit. Related palm fruit soups are made across southern Nigeria as banga soup, abak atama and obe eyin.
Ingrédients
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Préparation
- 1
In a large pot, heat the palm fruit extract over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- 2
Add the cubed goat meat and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the chopped okpei, ponmo, seasoning cubes and pepper blend, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- 4
Pour in the stockfish bone broth and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the meat is very tender.
- 5
Stir in the ground crayfish, flaked smoked fish, chopped dried fish and scent leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6
Simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes so the flavours meld.
- 7
Serve hot over steamed white rice or with fufu, garnished with extra scent leaves.
Notes de l’Africook
Notes personnelles de Sobecooks- Use palm fruit extract, not palm oil. They come from the same fruit and are entirely different: the extract is the whole pulp in water, and palm oil is the pressed fat.
- Give the goat meat a proper simmer. Twenty minutes will not tenderise it; an hour or more is realistic, and the stated time should be treated as a minimum.
- Add the scent leaf at the very end. Its aroma is volatile and long cooking wastes it entirely.
- Tinned palm fruit concentrate, sold as banga sauce or palm nut cream, works and saves the laborious extraction.
- Okpei is the Igbo name for fermented locust beans, the same ingredient as iru and dawadawa elsewhere.
- Unlike most Nigerian soups this is as often served over white rice as with a swallow, which is worth knowing when planning a meal.
Questions fréquentes
What is the difference between ofe akwu and banga soup?
The tradition rather than the base. Both are built on palm fruit extract. Ofe akwu is the Igbo version; banga soup is the Niger Delta one, Urhobo and Isoko in origin, and uses a distinct spice blend. Abak atama in Akwa Ibom and obe eyin in Yoruba are further relatives. The spices are what separate them.
Is palm fruit extract the same as palm oil?
No, and confusing them is the commonest mistake with this soup. Palm oil is the fat pressed from the fruit: thin, red and used as a cooking oil. Palm fruit extract is the whole boiled pulp suspended in water: thick, orange and the entire body of the soup. Substituting one for the other does not work.
What is okpei?
Okpei is the Igbo name for fermented locust bean, the same ingredient known as iru in Yoruba and dawadawa in Hausa. It is pungent on its own and gives a deep savoury foundation to the soup. It is sold in blocks or loose at Nigerian grocers and a little goes a long way.
What is it served with?
Steamed white rice as often as fufu, which sets it apart from most Nigerian soups, where a swallow is usually assumed. Pounded yam and eba work equally well. The choice is genuinely open, and in Igbo households ofe akwu served over plain white rice is entirely standard and is how many people first encounter it.
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