Underrated Nigerian Food: These Soups Deserve Better Recognition
Just like Lagos, Nigeria as a whole is a cocktail of incredibly beautiful and diverse cultures. From the norms and practices pertaining to tribes and peoples to even the manner of speaking, the nation boasts a colourful cultural backdrop, chock full of interesting and varied customs. This diversity can be witnessed in numerous areas but today, we’ll be focusing on food and drink; particularly soups.
Soups are a staple in almost every tribe within the nation. Some soups such as Egusi, Okro and even Ogbono – yikes, I know – have been able to break tribal and location barriers to become staple soups in almost every community across the country. Even with these delicacies sitting at the forefront, there is so much more beyond the horizon. There are numerous, equally delicious and interesting soups and I’m of the absolute opinion that you should give these a try at least once in your lifetime. Here’s my list of underrated Nigerian soups;
Ofe Onugbu
Ofe Onugbu -- popularly known as bitter leaf soup -- is a prized soup amongst the eastern Nigerians; the Igbos to be precise. Made from bitter leaves, this soup is anything but bitter. In fact, some may argue it has a mildly sweet taste -- but this is up for debate. The bitter leaves are washed and squeezed thoroughly in order to ensure all traces of bitterness are removed. If you’re served bitter bitter leaf soup, many may argue that your cook doesn’t know his onions one bit.
Typically, Ofe Onugbu is made with goat meat and dressed with stockfish, ponmo and the likes, but tastes just as good with beef. Making Ofe Onugbu with chicken or turkey sounds disrespectful but it’s exactly the sort of thing I would cook if I’m being honest. You can check out the recipe here.
Image credit: All Nigerian Recipes
Denise’s Serving Recommendations:
Enjoy Ofe Onugbu with swallows like fufu or pounded yam. I don’t think plain eba does justice to this soup. Alternatively, if you’re too lazy to pound your own yam and you don’t like yam flour, boil your yam and enjoy. Same difference, honestly.
Rivers Native Soup
Rivers Native Soup is a delicacy birthed amongst the numerous tribes in Rivers state. Otherwise known as Fisherman Soup, this dish is a seafood lover’s dream come true. A palm oil broth thickened with cocoyams or achi, a native thickener, this soup spares no expense in incorporating fresh and flavourful seafood items such as fish, shrimp, periwinkles, ‘ngolo’ (whelks) and so much more.
It’s called Fisherman soup for a reason, so don’t be weird and go cook this with chicken or anything. Even I have my limitations. Chicken is amazing meat, contrary to what the person who handles our Twitter says– but it just doesn’t work with this soup. Feeling adventurous? Try this recipe here
Image Credit: Dooney’s Kitchen
Denise’s Serving Recommendations
If we’re keeping the experience 100% authentic, I’d recommend you cancel your Fisherman Soup with none other than Onunu. Onunu is a swallow peculiar to Rivers State and it’s prepared by pounding boiled yam and plantain and finishing off with palm oil and a dash of pepper. Typically, Onunu is eaten with Fresh Fish Peppersoup but I find that it works just as well with Native Soup. Confused on how to make Onunu? Click here
Ofe Nsala
Unless you lived under a rock in 2018, there’s no possible way you didn’t bop to Davido, DMW, Peruzzi and Duncan Mighty’s hit song “Aza”. If you did, I’m sure you remember Duncan Mighty shouting ‘Ofe Nsala’ at the beginning of the chorus. What you probably didn’t know is Ofe Nsala, apart from being a hit lyric, is also a hit soup.
Ofe Nsala, also known as white soup, is predominantly associated with the Igbos. This, however, is all but true. The Efik have their version of this soup and it’s called Afia Efere. The major difference between Afia Efere and Ofe Nsala is that the former contains an aromatic herb known as ‘uyayak’ which gives it a more distinct flavour.
Ofe Nsala is called white soup, not because the soup itself is white, but because it isn’t prepared with palm oil and any aromatic leaves. Typically, Ofe Nsala is a catfish broth thickened with cocoyam, but newer versions of the recipe have inculcated beef, goat meat and even chicken. Find that recipe here.
Image credit: Sisi Jemimah
Denise’s Serving Recommendations
I’d strongly recommend you try Ofe Nsala with either pounded yam or fufu. Eating such a hit soup with just eba is very ghetto. Don’t do it.
Ofe Okazi
Often called Ofe Ukazi or simply Okazi soup, this delicacy is prominent in southeastern Nigeria. Ofe Okazi is a simple soup but if this soup proves anything, it does that even the simplest of things may be muddled up if care isn’t taken.
A personal favourite of mine, Ofe Okazi is prepared using Okazi leaves. Okazi leaves are not to be confused with Utazi or Uziza; Utazi is a bitter-tasting leaf used to garnish dishes including Abacha, Isi-ewu and Nkwobi whereas Uziza is a peppery tasting leaf and seeds, predominantly used in pepper soups.
Ofe Okazi is predominantly prepared with beef, accompanied by stockfish, tripe and other assorted meats. However, goat meat and chicken works just as well. Feel like trying this out? Check out this neat recipe here.
Image credit: 1Q Food Platter
Denise’s Serving Recommendations
Just like with Ofe Nsala, Ofe Okazi is best served with pounded yam or fufu. There’s honestly something so ghetto about eating soups as bomb as these with just eba. Too plain and uninspiring.
Miyan Kuka
Miyan Kuka is a soup peculiar to Northern Nigeria. Made from dried Baobab leaves, traditionally called kuka, and dry okra, this delicacy closely resembles Ogbono soup, the only difference being that this soup actually tastes great.
Traditionally made with beef, Miyan Kuka works just as well with fish and chicken. Feel free to experiment with all possible meats. Need a recipe? Click here.
Image credit: All Nigerian Recipes
Denise’s Serving Recommendations
Just like with Rivers Native Soup, I advise you keep this experience 100% authentic and enjoy this soup with tuwo shinkafa. Tuwo shinkafa is prepared from short-grain rice but can also be prepared from rice flour -- the easiest method. If Tuwo isn’t accessible, you can always try pounded yam or even fufu.