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Ofe Akwu(palm nut soup) is a popular soup/stew in Nigeria which is definitely a must-try as it is very tasty and highly nutritious. This recipe is popular amongst Nigerians, while other African countries also have their own variations of palm nut soup.
What is Ofe Akwu ?
Ofe Akwu is a Nigerian soup made from palm nuts. It is native to the Niger Delta and South Eastern parts of Nigeria. It is called Banga soup in Niger Delta areas and is eaten with various swallows such as Fufu, Starch, Pounded Yam, Semolina, and Garri.
Ofe Akwu is the South Eastern name for palm nut soup. Ofe means soup/stew and Akwu means palm fruit. It is eaten more with boiled white rice.
Ofe Akwu Recipe
Ofe Akwu is an easy soup to prepare if you have the right ingredients. the major ingredients used in making this soup are Palm nuts, vegetables, meat, dried fish, and spices.
The palm fruit oil extract that is used in cooking this soup is quite different from the red palm oil used in cooking food in Africa. This is because Palm oil is pure oil that is extracted from the palm fruit pulp at high temperatures while the oil used in making this soup is extracted at a very low temperature and is a mixture of oil and water.
The palm fruit oil extracted contains less saturated fats than Palm oil.
This recipe is quite seamless, boil the palm nuts and extract the oil from them, then boil the oil in a pot for a while. After which add your meat, dried fish, and spices and allow to boil.
Add your vegetables last and serve your Ofe Akwu with boiled white rice.
You can also try out these Nigerian soups ;
Let us know if you try out this amazing Recipe.
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Ofe Akwu
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Palm nuts
- 6 pcs Beef
- 2 pcs Dryfish
- Scent leaves
- 2 pcs Onions
- 2 tbsp Crayfish
- 1 pcs Ogiri Okpei
- 2 pcs Stock Cube
- Salt
- Chiki pepper
Instructions
- Extract the Palmnut oil from the palm fruits. If using the tinned palm fruit concentrate, open the tin and set aside.1 Kg Palm nuts
- Cook the beef and the dry fish with 1 bulb of diced onion and the stock cubes till done.6 pcs Beef, 2 pcs Dryfish, 2 pcs Onions
- Wash and cut the scent leaves into tiny pieces
- Cut the remaining bulb of onion. Pound the crayfish, ogiri okpei and pepper in a mortar and set aside. You can also grind them with a dry mill.
- Set the pot of palm fruit extract on the stove and start cooking at high heat. Leave to boil till you notice come red oil at the surface of the Ofe Akwu Stew. If you think that the Ofe Akwu Soup is watery, cook till the soup has thickened to the consistency you like for your stews.
- Now, add the beef, dry fish and stock, the onions, crayfish ,and pepper and leave to boil very well
- Add the scent leaves or other vegetable and salt to taste. Leave to simmer for about 2 mins. The Banga Soup is done. Serve with
