How To Prepare Bitter leaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)

Bitter leaf Soup also known as (Ofe Onugbu / Obe efo Elewuro or Miyan shuwaka) is a delicious traditional Nigerian soup.
It is prepared with a bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and although the name suggest that it is a bitter soup, that's not the case. The bitter leaves used for this soup ,are properly washed and squeezed ,until there is only a slight taste of bitterness left.

*Food Note: Bitter leaf soup is known as ''Ofe Onugbu'' in Igbo language, where ''Ofe'' stands for ''soup'' and ''Onugbu'' stands for ''bitter leaf''.
It is called Obe efo Elewuro in Yoruba language, where '' obe'' signifies ''soup'' and '' efo elewuro'' stands for ''bitter leaf''.
 In Hausa language it is ''Miyan shuwaka'', where '' Miyan '' denotes ''soup'' and '' shuwaka'' stands for ''bitter leaf''.

INGREDIENTS FOR BITTER LEAF SOUP

- 1 cup bitter leaf (that has been Washed and squeezed)
- 6 corms Cocoyam ''Ede ofe'', made into paste
- 200g Assorted Meat (cow foot, cow tripe(shaki) e.t.c)
- 3 cooking spoonful Red Palm Oil
-Dried fish
-Stock Fish
- 2 tablespoonful Ground Crayfish
- 1 teaspoon Ogiri/Iru oe dawadawa ( fermented oil seeds)
- 2 Maggi or Knorr cubes(bouillon cubes)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)

Cooking Directions for Nigerian Bitterleaf Soup

1. If you are using raw cocoyam corms, wash and place the corms into a pot, pour enough water to cover the cocoyams and cook till soft. Peel of the cocoyam skins while its still hot(be careful not to burn your fingers) and pound in a mortar and pestle.
If you are using cocoyam powder, boil some hot water and make into a thick paste as you do with semolina or fufu.

2. If you haven't done this already,wash the bitter leaves by squeezing and scrubbing the leaves in between your palms( and changing the dark green colored water occasionally) until the water is clearer and there is a faint taste of bitterness in the leaves;(you'll have to taste the leaves to be sure).

TIP: if using dried bitter leaf, place in boiling water add a little baking soda or Akanwu(potash), boil for 15 minutes , strain the leaves,rinse with water . The baking soda or Akanwu(potash) helps to soften the bitter leaves.

3. Wash and clean the dried fish and set aside. Spice and Cook the meat , starting with the tougher ones first(the cow tripe(shaki)& Cow foot always takes longer to cook.Add the cleaned stock fish and cook until done. (You can also cook the dried fish with the meat ,but these depends on how tough the dried fish is,so that it doesn't break to pieces in the soup

4. Add the palm oil , cleaned Dried fish, ground crayfish,pepper, ground iru/ogiri & stock cube and cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Now scoop in the cocoyam paste , cover and leave to cook until the cocoyam lumps are well dissolved. Add bitter leaves& salt to taste, mix thoroughly and leave to simmer for 2 minutes and the soup is ready. Enjoy!

Bitter leaf soup is usually served with Pounded Yam, Fufu, Eba, Tuwo, wheat meal ,Semolina or Amala