Hello Eya! Trust u are good. I’m a crazy cook, can spend the whole day cooking and experimenting new recipe when I have the time. I’ve learnt some new dishes on WC and have always wanted to contribute but I’m constrained by lack of pictures and approximate measurements. If you don’t mind sharing without pictures, let me share this soup, particularly good for diabetic, weight watchers and all. Though I’m not too sure of the igbo spelling.
Ingredients Fresh garden egg leaves (preferably native ones) Palm fruit (Banga or akwu) Pepper (by choice) Crayfish Dry fish Stock-fish Cocoyam or offor or achi (as thickner) Ogiri
Its almost the same method as you would prepare ur native bitter leaf or ugu soup. Extract the oil from the banga after boiling it to tender. Be careful not to make it watery.(If u get it right, you may have no need for the thickener after boiling the palm produce for quite long).
Carefully wash ur fish, stockfish with warm water only and debone if necessary. Add to the palm extract on fire(high heat).
When stock fish is boiled, add ur thickener. If using achi or offor, first mix with little water to form a smooth paste so it dissolves quickly in pot. Next u add ur well ground pepper, crayfish and ogiri(I pound all together).
When soup is well boiled and a bit thickened, add ur well washed and sliced garden egg leaves and cook for about just 5 minutes.
Garden egg leaves can equally be eaten raw, so no need to over cook. Stir very well and put of heat and leave pot cover slightly open. Your soup is ready. Can be eaten with eba, semo etc or taken alone especially for a convalescent.
This is one soup free from artificial spices, meat, salt etc. I try not to import salt at all, so I make sure I wash my fish and vegetables without salt thoroughly as much as 6 times with generous water. If you think you can’t stand the no-salt, then you can add a pinch of salt while cooking, but then it would have defeated the purpose. Very easy to cook. I promise to send pix if I make it soon.
8 thoughts on “Ofe Ukpom Recipe (Garden Egg Leaf Soup) By Zinny”
Thanks Eya, for the reply. Just some amendment(I'm terrible at writing long notes) Boil the palm oil extract on high heat, leave pot open and stir constantly if u are not using thickner so it thickens fast. Also, if using achi, mix wt little water, just enough to dissolve it completely(not a paste). If u must use meat, try roasted canda(kpomo) Once again, I apologise for lack of pix. Ill try to send them when possible or any WC fan who cooks this before me can help out. Its a very rich looking soup I prefer licking it alone. Ill also try and check back for any questions, just in case there something I forgot to add. Regards
A whole pot of soup without seasoning?I will cook this with seasoning and smoked chicken,and will send in pics.cos I dnt understand food without seasoning.
Lol. I can perceive ur vibration. But I think, dts the essence of the soup, as natural as old. There are lots of tasty meals wtout artificial seasoning. I know this soup cos my mama likes it. Ill advise u stick to the 'no seasoning' rule and try it. U cld try cooking a small quantity
you are sure from my side Zinny…… this soup is for titled men and big men. no salt and no seasoning still applies. butmwe do add meat with plenty of dry fish.
you are actually from my side…. dats for sure! ofe ukpum as we call it is for the big men and titled men. but we cook with meat and plenty dry fish. no salt,no seasoning. infact,mum will hide d salt container whenever we want to cook it.
Thanks Eya, for the reply. Just some amendment(I'm terrible at writing long notes)
Boil the palm oil extract on high heat, leave pot open and stir constantly if u are not using thickner so it thickens fast. Also, if using achi, mix wt little water, just enough to dissolve it completely(not a paste). If u must use meat, try roasted canda(kpomo)
Once again, I apologise for lack of pix. Ill try to send them when possible or any WC fan who cooks this before me can help out. Its a very rich looking soup I prefer licking it alone.
Ill also try and check back for any questions, just in case there something I forgot to add. Regards
A whole pot of soup without seasoning?I will cook this with seasoning and smoked chicken,and will send in pics.cos I dnt understand food without seasoning.
Lol. I can perceive ur vibration. But I think, dts the essence of the soup, as natural as old. There are lots of tasty meals wtout artificial seasoning. I know this soup cos my mama likes it. Ill advise u stick to the 'no seasoning' rule and try it. U cld try cooking a small quantity
Nice work zinny. Have not heard of a soup without seasoning but sure will try it if I can find the ingredients.
the ogiri makes up the seasonin of the soup.
you are sure from my side Zinny…… this soup is for titled men and big men. no salt and no seasoning still applies. butmwe do add meat with plenty of dry fish.
you are actually from my side…. dats for sure! ofe ukpum as we call it is for the big men and titled men. but we cook with meat and plenty dry fish. no salt,no seasoning. infact,mum will hide d salt container whenever we want to cook it.
No salt is the rule because mum use to cook it a lot