How To Prepare Bitterleaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu).

How To Prepare Bitterleaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu). 

Bitterleaf soup is one of the local traditional soups in Nigeria. It is native to the Yorubas and the Igbos and even part of the Northern. The name is quite Oops; it can even mislead someone hearing it for the first time, a well prepared Bitterleaf shouldn't or will not have a much taste of bitterness. The only way to achieve this, is by washing and squeezing the bitter leaves then change the water, till all traces of bitterness has been washed away.

INGREDIENTS:

* Washed and squeezed bitterleaf - Two handful.

* 5 small corms Cocoyam.

* 4 cooking spoons of Palm Oil.

* ½kg of Beef.

* ½kg of Shaki (cow tripe).

* Dry Fish.

* Stock Fish.

* Grounded Crayfish.

* Habanero Pepper.

* Salt. 

* 4 Stock Cubes.

* 3 Teaspoonful Ogiri Igbo (traditional seasoning).

Notes;

1. You can as well use dried, washed and squeezed bitter leaves, all you will need to do first is to soak in warm water for 30 minutes, this make the bitter leaves soft and look fresh again before adding them to the soup.

2. I have find the whole market, and I can't get cocoyam corms, what should I do? You can use cocoyam flour. And what if I can't still find cocoyam flour! is that the end? "No" another best alternative for the two is potato flour.
I don't know how to prepare this!. Visit the cocoyam flour or potato flour, to read more about it and how to prepare them.

3. Most I use the Ogiri Igbo!. "No" it's optional, but it's highly recommend. It helps give the Bitterleaf Soup a good aroma and traditional taste and help clear your eyes.

4. Pound or blend the Habanero Pepper and set aside.

Before you proceed with the preparation of the Bitterleaf Soup.

1. Confirm that the bitter leaves are probably washed, in the sense that there will be no trace of bitterness. So therefore if you still feel the bitterness, wash and squeeze with palm oil for like two times. After that you still feel the bitterness, boil it for completely 30 minutes with salt, after cooking, wash in cold water.

2. Peel the cocoyam and wash and cook for 30 minutes or till soft. Pound with mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Don't forget to add the water to the pounding, if possible water you use in cooking it or warm water.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set up your cooker or stove, place a sizable pot to boil the shaki (cow tripe), stock fish and dry fish with about one litre of water, cook for ten minutes, or till when the shaki (cow tripe) started to curling on itself.

2. When the shaki (cow tripe) started to curl, wash and add the beef and cook for about three minutes or less, then add the tasty cubes (Maggi) and salt then cook for five minutes.

3. After five minutes, your shaki (cow tripe), beef, stock fish and dry fish should be done by then. Add pepper, grounded crayfish, wash and squeeze bitter leaves and cook for 15 minutes, before adding the cocoyam paste and the palm oil, salt to taste. Stir all together and the soup is ready to serve with Garri (Eba) , Semolina Fufu, Amala, Cassava Fufu or Pounded Yam.

Notes; If you didn't cook the bitter leaves before losing the bitterness, then you have to continue the cooking after adding the bitter leaves at least cook for five minutes.