Bitter leaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)

Dietary tags are provided by contributors as a guide, not verified by AFN, and they depend on the products you buy. If you have a serious allergy, check every ingredient yourself.

1. 1

   Make sure that the bitter leaves are well washed, such that there is no trace of bitterness left. If not, wash and squeeze it more.

2. 2

   If the bitterness cannot be completely washed off (which is usually the case with most washed bitter leaves sold in the market), boil it for about 15 minutes and wash it in cold water.

3. 3

   Wash and cook the cocoyam till soft.

4. 4

   Remove the peels and use a mortar and pestle to pound the corms into a smooth paste.

5. 5

   Boil the shaki (cow tripe), stockfish, and dry fish in 1 liter of water till they are well done. The first sign of a done shaki is that the cuts will start curling on themselves.

6. 6

   Wash the beef and add to the pot of shaki etc. and continue cooking.

7. 7

   When the meat is done, add 3 cubes of Maggi/Knorr and cook for 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Add pepper, ground crayfish, bitter leaves (if they have not been parboiled) and cook for 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Then add the cocoyam paste (in small lumps) and the palm oil.

10. 10

    Note: If the bitter leaves were parboiled to remove the bitterness, then for step 4; add pepper, ground crayfish, the cocoyam paste (in small lumps), the bitter leaves, and the palm oil. In other words, add all the ingredients at this stage.

11. 11

    Cover the pot and leave to cook on high heat till all the cocoyam lumps have dissolved.

12. 12

    Add salt to taste and the soup is ready.

Africook’s Notes