DIY: How to make bitter leaf soup (Ofe onugbu)

The soup is made from the bitter leaf which is a very nutritious vegetable to incorporate into your dishes makes the nutrients more accessible to you.

Bitter leaf soup is also popular amongst the Igbo tribe and also for its unique taste that can be denied. A lot of non-Igbos shy away from bitter leaf soup because they think that, true to its name, bitter.

But, we can tell you that the bitter taste can be reduced. This can be achieved by thoroughly washing and squeezing the bitter leaf before using them in your soup.

ALSO READ: Bitter leaf soup for the weekend

Here's how to prepare the famous soup.

Bitter leaf soup is one the most delicious meal in Nigeria [Fabwoman] Bitter leaf soup Fab Woman

Ingredients

Washed and squeezed bitter leaf – A handful
10 small corms Cocoyam
3 cooking spoons Red Palm Oil
Assorted Beef: Includes best cut, shaki (cow tripe)
Assorted Fish: Dry Fish and Stock Fish
Pepper, salt and ground crayfish (to taste)
3 stock cubes
1 teaspoon Ogiri Igbo (traditional seasoning)

Directions

Boil the shaki (cow tripe), stockfish and dry fish in 1 liter of water till they are well done. First sign of a done shaki is that the cuts will start curling on itself.
Wash the beef and add to the pot of shaki etc. and continue cooking. When the meat is done, add 3 cubes of seasoning cubes and cook for 5 minutes.
Add pepper, ground crayfish, bitter leaves (if they have not been parboiled) and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the cocoyam paste (in small lumps) and the palm oil then go to step 5.
Note: If the bitter leaves were parboiled to remove the bitterness, then for step 3; add pepper, ground crayfish, the cocoyam paste (in small lumps), the bitter leaves and the palm oil. In other words, add all the ingredients at this stage.
Cover the pot and leave to cook on high heat till all the cocoyam lumps have dissolved. You can add more water if you feel that the soup is too thick.
Add salt to taste and the soup is ready.