Ofe Akwu is a delicious and rich soup made from palm nut extract, often served with white rice. It's a popular dish among the Igbo people of Nigeria.
Ingredients
1 ⦁ kg palm nuts (or 2 cups of palm fruit concentrate)
6 ⦁ pieces of beef
2 ⦁ pieces of dry fish
2 ⦁ pieces of scent leaves (nchuanwu/basil)
2 ⦁ onions (1 for boiling the palm nuts, 1 for cooking)
2 ⦁ tablespoons of crayfish (ground)
2 ⦁ pieces of ogiri okpei (locust beans)
2 ⦁ seasoning cubes
⦁ Salt to taste
⦁ Pepper to taste
Instructions
Extract Palm Nut Juice: If using fresh palm nuts, place them in a pot, add water, and boil for about 30 minutes until soft. Pound the nuts in a mortar to extract the juice, then sieve to collect the liquid. If using palm fruit
concentrate, skip this step.
Cook the Meat: In a separate pot, cook the beef and dry fish with one chopped onion, seasoning
cubes, and salt until tender.
Prepare the Soup Base: In a pot, heat the palm nut juice or concentrate. Add the cooked meat and dry fish,
stirring well.
Add Seasoning: Add the crayfish, ogiri okpei, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 15 minutes.
Add Vegetables: Add the sliced scent leaves to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve: Serve the Ofe Akwu hot, paired with boiled white rice.