SAVOR OFE NSALA

Ofe Nsala is also known as white soup is interesting dish that has its origin from the Enu-ani people of the Igbo-speaking part of present day Delta State, South-south Nigeria. 

It is also very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria, the Igbos and some other parts of the south-south are very familiar with white soup and pounded yam.  It is called white soup simply because it does not require the use of palm oil. 

PREPARING OFE NSALA

Required Ingredients:

• Uziza Leaf (a bunch)
• Utazi Leaf (a handful)
• Meat of choice (chicken, beef, turkey, etc.)
• Crayfish
• Fresh pepper
• Dried Fish
• Head of stock fish (medium size
• Pounded yam (thickener)
• Seasoning (2 cubes of maggi or Knorr)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Normally, you parboil the meat with ingredients (Maggi, onions, salt and others), cook for about 15 minutes before adding water. Then cook till the meat is tender enough for consumption.

Blend the Cray-fish; cook and pound about 1.5 kg of yam, normally, cocoa-yam is the favorable thickener for most soups of this kind the only exception is when you are make Nsala soup, pounded yam is used. Wash the dried fish/stock fish with hot water. This is done to soften the fish for easy washing (to remove sands and other impurities).

Add more water to the meat on fire (when it is tender enough for consumption) add water depending on the quantity of thickener and the available ingredients.

Add the washed dried fish, crayfish, stock fish cook for about ten minutes before adding the pounded yam.

Allow the pounded yam to dissolve (about 10 to 15 minutes) before adding the meat, chicken, Uziza leave / Utazi leave. Allow to boil for another five minutes and you just made a delicious nsala soup. 

You can serve with eba, semo, wheat or fufu.