Oha soup is a delicious traditional Nigerian soup made with Oha leaves (also known as ora leaves), assorted meat or fish, and other ingredients. Here’s a recipe to help you make Oha soup:
Ingredients:
- 250g Oha leaves
- Assorted meat and/or fish (such as beef, goat meat, chicken, or fish)
- Stockfish (optional)
- Dry fish (optional)
- Palm oil
- Cocoyam (for thickening) or Achi (a thickener made from the Ora seeds)
- Ground crayfish
- Pepper (to taste)
- Seasoning cubes
- Salt
- Onion
- Utazi leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Wash the Oha leaves thoroughly to remove any sand or dirt. You can also slice or shred the leaves into smaller pieces if desired.
- If you are using cocoyam for thickening, peel the cocoyam, wash it, and boil until soft.
- Remove from heat, pound or blend to a smooth paste, and set aside. Alternatively, you can use achi as a thickening agent.
- Prepare your assorted meat and fish by cleaning and seasoning them with salt, onion, and any other desired spices. Cook them until tender. If using stockfish or dry fish, soak them in hot water until they soften, then clean them thoroughly.
- Heat palm oil in a pot and add the cooked meat and fish. Stir fry for a few minutes to incorporate the flavours.
- Add the ground crayfish, pepper, seasoning cubes, and salt to taste. Stir well.
- Add the cocoyam paste or achi (thickening agent) to the pot and stir to thicken the soup.
- Adjust the thickness to your preference by adding water if necessary.
- Allow the soup to simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the washed Oha leaves to the pot and stir. Allow it to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until the leaves soften.
- If using utazi leaves for garnish, wash them and slice them thinly. Add them to the soup and stir.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. If desired, you can add more pepper or other spices to suit your preference.
- Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Your Oha soup is now ready to be served! It is commonly enjoyed with fufu, pounded yam, or any other swallow of your choice.
