Today i am going to take you guys on how to prepare a sumptuous mouth licking bitter leaf soup popularly known as **"Ofe Ọnụgbụ" **.
It's a soup that originated and prepared mostly by the Eastern part (Anambra state) of Nigeria. It's a common native soup among them. It is mostly eaten with a well processed cassava that it's finish product is know as Garri and Akpu.
This soup also is used for traditional events and other important functions in that part of the country. It is often said that
"if you want to get to the heart of an Anambra man prepare a bitter leave soup"
Apart from using bitter leaf for soup it has its health importance, i mean its medicinal too. You can wash and sieve the water and drink it too. Cure for diabetes and other know health issues. But i am not here for that now maybe some other time.
**Ingredients to prepare this soup**
Bitter leaf
Dry fish
Cocoyam
Cray fish
Palm oil
Maggi
Salt
Pepper
Water
Local Maggi (Ogiri)
Stock fish
Meat.
**Preparations**
First is to wash your bitter leaves thoroughly so it's removes all the bitter contents. But while you're washing it, you can cook your meat, wash it with salt to take away all the organism it has in it, after you're done add two Maggi cubes, water and a little quantity of salt inside it, then you allow it to cook.
Your coco yam should be cooked and prepared for pounding although it is used as a thickener so the soup doesn't become watery.
Once your coco yam, meat and bitter leaf are ready (cooked) then you're set to start cooking.
Pour the quantity of water you want in a pot, put your oil too and allow to boil. Once it starts boiling put your dry fish and stock fish inside and cover the pot and allow to boil for 5minutes. After 5 minutes you can then add your cocoyam and other ingredients except the bitter leaves. Cover your pot and allow to boil again for another 5 minutes, after that you steer the the soup such that all ingredients are well concentrated. Add your maggi and salt and test for sweetness.
Once this is achieved, then add your bitter leave and cover the pot to allow it boil. For minutes, steer it again for even concentration of ingredients and then test to be sure it's sweet.
Ladies and gentlemen we have your delicious bitter leaf soup.
Yummmmmy! Yummmy!... Mmmm! 😋😋