My Kitchen today: Ofe Ugba

Ofe Ugba is simply okra soup cooked with shredded oil bean. Okra which is also known as lady finger and also known for it's slippery texture is valued for it's edible green seed pods, the plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world.

The African oil bean, popular in Nigeria (its local name is Ugba) is a tropical tree in the family Leguminosae (Mimosoideae). It is native to tropical Africa, although a representative of the genus exists in tropical South and Central America. This is Ugba here:

Ofe Ugba aka African oil bean soup is a delightfully tasty delicacy from Eastern Nigeria. It is a special soup of the owerri people and its environs. This soup can be called ofe ukpaka as well because African Oil bean seed is called either Ugba or Ukpaka depending on what part of Igbo land you hail from. As a child, I ate my fair share of the delicious ofe Ugba because it was my mother's favourite soup. Oh, how I looked forward to going home on holidays from the boarding school because I knew I would be greeted by the steaming hot ofe Ugba garnished with giant snails, stockfish, dry fish and huge chunks of goat meat and cow skin/leg. It was like her welcome home dish!. She always served it with a glass of pineapple juice that she had prepared herself. The pineapple was from her garden. Fond memories, you would agree with me!

Ingredients

For 4 servings, you will need:

• 20 okra fingers
• 1 cup of ugba (milk cup is ok)
• 2 pieces dry fish (dry cat fish or mangala fish)
• 2 pieces stockfish (dry cod fish)
• 4 big sized snails 
• 2 cups of periwinkles (2 cups is ok)
• 2 cooking spoons palm oil
• Dry pepper (to taste)
• 1 handful crayfish
• 1 piece of ogiri okpei (dawa dawa, iru)- this is optional for me
• 1 onion
• Garden egg leaves or ugu (alternative: spinach)
• Salt (to taste)

Notes

1. The quantities of all the ingredients listed above can be adjusted to your taste. In everything you do, let the ugba shine through.
2. I use dry fish in preparing this soup, feel free to use smoked  fish or any meat you like but do not use chicken ooo. You could use shrimps, prawns and periwinkles too.
3. Add palm oil to your liking.
4. For the leafy vegetables, add the quantity you like. I always use akwukwo ofe, or aku ofe (garden eggs leaves). You can use ugu(pumpkin) leaves or spinach
5. You can use cayenne pepper (fresh or dry) if you wish. I prefer fresh

Before you cook Ofe Ugba

Rinse all the vegetables and fish thoroughly. In Nigerian markets, dry fish and stockfish are displayed in the open hence contain dust and sometimes fine sand. So wash these very well and rinse in plenty of water.

• Soak the stockfish for a few minutes and clean with a food brush.
• Soak the dry fish in cool or lukewarm water till soft. Clean, debone and break into pieces. If you are using smoked fish, break into small pieces, debone and rinse.
• Wash your snail, meat and periwinkles thoroughly with salt
• Grind the crayfish and the ogiri okpei(if you are using it) with a dry mill o your mortar and pestle.
• Cut the okra fingers into pieces. For the best Ofe Ugba, please do not blend the okra. You can grate it but hand cut is the best.
• Slice the onion into small pieces.
• Cut up the pepper into small pieces. You can grind it if you wish.I prefer fresh pepper
• Cut the vegetable into small pieces. I prefer garden egg leaves
•  it is advisable to prepare your Okra soup with the pot slightly or totally open so as to maintain it's slippery nature.

Cooking Directions

• Cook your meat first and keep your stock if any
• Place the stockfish and snail in a pot, add some water and start cooking. Add the stock in small amounts and top up water when necessary because you want as little water as possible in the pot when done.
• When the stock fish is soft, I use the cooking spoon to break it into small pieces.
• Add the dry fish, periwinkles, ugba, crayfish and ogiri okpei, pepper, onions, salt and palm oil. Cover the pot and continue cooking on high heat. Stir often so it does not burn.
• After about 5 minutes, add the leafy vegetable and okra, stir and add salt if necessary. You want as small quantity of water as possible in the soup before adding the vegetable. 
• Take the pot off the fire and transfer to another container immediately so that the green vegetables stay green.
• Now, your delicious ofe Ugba is ready 😋😋😋.

Ofe Ugba  can be eaten with any swallow of your choice ranging from Garri,  fufu, Semovita and so on. Now, I bet you can work this magic in that kitchen of yours this weekend!

Bon Apetit!