White Soup

₦ 6,000.00

Nigerian White Soup (Ofe Nsala) is a light-colored, flavorful, and spicy soup originating from the Igbo ethnic group. Unlike many Nigerian soups that use palm oil, it has a distinctive pale color because it is made without it. The soup is characterized by its rich, slightly thick broth made from yam paste and its generous use of fresh utazi leaves and ehuru (calabash nutmeg) for a unique, aromatic, and slightly bitter taste. It is traditionally enjoyed with pounded yam or swallow of choice.

category all-meals soups-and-sauce

groups
Servings

schedule
70 Minutes

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No nutrition info available

Ingredients

For the Broth & Meat:
500g Goat meat, catfish, or chicken (or a combination)
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
2-3 tablespoons ground crayfish
2-3 ehuru (calabash nutmeg), ground
1-2 habanero peppers (or to taste), blended or finely chopped
1-2 stock cubes (e.g., Knorr or Maggi)
Salt to taste
Water for cooking
For the Yam Thickener:
2 cups of boiled yam chunks (about 1 medium tuber)
A small amount of warm water
For the Finish:
1-2 handfuls of fresh utazi leaves, thinly sliced (or bitter leaf, washed to reduce bitterness)
1 medium-sized smoked fish, cleaned and deboned

Instructions

Boil the meat with onion, a stock cube, and salt until tender. While it cooks, pound or blend the boiled yam into a smooth paste.
Once the meat is tender, add the ground crayfish, ground ehuru, and blended pepper to the pot. Stir well and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Scoop small amounts of the yam paste into the soup. Stir and dissolve each scoop until the soup thickens to your liking.
Gently add the smoked fish and utazi leaves. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve the soup hot.