Cookbook:Ofe Onugbu (Bitter Leaf Soup)

Ofe Onugbu (Bitter Leaf Soup)
Category	Soup recipes
Servings	2–3
Time	15–20 minutes
Difficulty

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Ofe onugbu, or bitterleaf soup, is a traditional Nigerian soup commonly eaten by the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria. It is prepared with thoroughly washed bitter leaves, meat, palm oil, local spices, and a thickener such as cocoyam, achi, or ofor. The soup is known for its rich flavor and slightly bitter taste. Serve with a swallow, such as pounded yam, eba (garri), or wheat meal.

• 1–2 cups bitterleaf
• 300 g assorted meat (beef, tripe, cow skin)
• 1 small piece stockish (optional)
• 1–2 pieces dried fish (optional)
• 2–3 tablespoons palm oil
• 1 tablespoon ground crayfish
• 2-3 Seasoning cubes
• 1-2 tablespoons Salt (to taste)
• 1-2 tablespoons ground Pepper (fresh or dried)
• 1 tablespoon ogiri or iru (fermented locust beans, optional)
• 3–5 small cocoyam pieces or 2 tablespoons achi powder (as thickener)

• Cooking pot
• Blender or mortar and pestle (for cocoyam or pepper)
• Stirring spoon
• Sieve or colander

1. Wash the bitter leaves thoroughly, squeezing and rinsing several times to reduce the bitterness. Set aside.
2. In a pot, combine the assorted meat, stockfish, dryfish, salt, seasoning cubes, and chopped onions. Cover with water, and simmer until the meat is tender.
3. Add palm oil and allow it to melt into the meat stock.
4. If using cocoyam, boil it separately, peel, blend into a paste, and stir into the soup as a thickener. If using achi or ofor powder, stir directly into the pot.
5. Stir in the ground crayfish, pepper, ogiri, and ground crayfish.
6. Stir in the washed bitter leaves.Allow to simmer for 5–10 minutes until the soup thickens and the flavors combine.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

• Washing bitterleaf thoroughly or boiling it helps reduce its bitterness.
• For added richness, smoked fish or cow foot can be added.
• Ofe onugbu can be made vegetarian by omitting meat and fish and using mushroom or tofu instead.