Cookbook:Nigerian White Soup (Ofe Nsala)
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Ofe Nsala, commonly called White Soup, is a light, delicately spiced soup from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, particularly from the Anambra and Imo axis. Unlike most Nigerian soups, it contains no palm oil, giving it a pale, clear appearance. It is traditionally prepared with fresh catfish and raw yam as a thickener, making it one of the most unique and sophisticated soups in Nigerian cuisine.
Ingredients
[edit | edit source]- 1 kilograms fresh catfish (or chicken/goat meat), cleaned and cut
- 200 grams raw yam, peeled and sliced (for thickening)
- 3 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 3 scotch bonnet pepper (rodo)
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoons ogiri okpei (fermented locust bean paste)
- 1 teaspoons ehuru (African nutmeg), ground
- 15 uziza leaves, shredded
- 150 grams stockfish (panla), soaked and cleaned
- 2 seasoning cubes
Procedure
[edit | edit source]- Prepare the protein: Wash and clean 1 kilograms fresh catfish (or chicken/goat meat), cleaned and cut thoroughly. Season lightly with diced 1 onion, a pinch of 1 teaspoons salt, and 1 of 2 seasoning cubes. Set aside. If using goat meat or chicken, cook until nearly tender and reserve the stock.
- Prepare the yam thickener: Boil the sliced 200 grams raw yam, peeled and sliced (for thickening) pieces in a small pot of water until very soft. Pound or blend into a smooth, lump-free paste. This will serve as the soup thickener.
- Cook the fish and build the broth: Place 1 kilograms fresh catfish (or chicken/goat meat), cleaned and cut and 150 grams stockfish (panla), soaked and cleaned in a pot. Add enough water to cover. Add 1 tablespoons ogiri okpei (fermented locust bean paste), 1 teaspoons ehuru (African nutmeg), ground, blended 3 scotch bonnet pepper (rodo), and remaining 1 onion. Bring to a boil on medium heat and cook until the fish is just tender do not overcook catfish or it will fall apart.
- Add yam thickener and season: Add the yam paste in small spoonfuls into the boiling soup. Stir gently and allow it to dissolve and thicken the broth. Add 3 tablespoons ground crayfish and remaining 2 seasoning cubes. Taste and adjust 1 teaspoons salt.
- Add uziza leaves and finish: Stir in shredded 15 uziza leaves, shredded and cook for 3-5 minutes only. The soup should be light, aromatic, pale in colour, and gently thickened.
- Serve: Serve hot with pounded yam (iyán), eba, fufu, or semovita.