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Oha Soup

Also known as Oha Soup (Ora Leaf Soup)

Oha Soup — also called Ora Soup — is made from the delicate, tender leaves of the Oha tree (Pterocarpus mildbraedii), a tree that grows in the forests of South-Eastern Nigeria. The Oha leaf has an extraordinarily beautiful flavour — mild, slightly sweet, with a distinctive floral quality unlike any other Nigerian leaf vegetable.

Oha Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 big handfuls of fresh oha (ora) leaves, carefully stripped from the stems and hand-torn into strips
  • Half a medium-sized goat or a big handful of assorted beef
  • 2 big handfuls of stockfish (okporoko), soaked
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked catfish, soaked and deboned
  • 3 cooking spoons of red palm oil
  • 5 to 6 medium cocoyams (ede), peeled and boiled — the thickener
  • 3 big handfuls of ground crayfish
  • 3 to 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of ogiri okpei (fermented castor seed)
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • A small handful of uziza leaves, shredded — optional, for extra aroma

Method

  1. 01

    Preparing the Oha Leaves. Oha leaves must NEVER be cut with a knife — always tear by hand. Strip the leaves from the stems and tear each leaf into strips with your fingers. This is a non-negotiable traditional rule — cutting bruises and darkens the leaves. Set aside.

  2. 02

    Cooking the Meat. Season and cook all meat and stockfish in water with onion, salt and seasoning cubes for 30 to 35 minutes. Reserve the rich stock.

  3. 03

    Boiling and Pounding the Cocoyam. Peel and boil the cocoyams in water for 25 minutes until completely soft. Drain and pound in a mortar until a completely smooth, lump-free paste is formed. This cocoyam paste is the thickener — it must be silky smooth or it will make the soup lumpy.

  4. 04

    Building the Soup. Pour the reserved meat stock into a wide pot. Add palm oil, blended Atarodo, ogiri okpei and ground crayfish. Add the cooked meat and stockfish. Season with remaining seasoning cubes and salt. Bring to a steady simmer over medium heat.

  5. 05

    Adding the Cocoyam Thickener. Add the pounded cocoyam paste to the simmering soup in small pieces, stirring after each addition. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cocoyam dissolves completely and the soup reaches a smooth, moderately thick consistency. The soup should coat the back of a spoon.

  6. 06

    Adding the Smoked Fish. Add the deboned smoked catfish. Stir gently. Cook for 5 minutes.

  7. 07

    Adding Oha Leaves. Add the hand-torn Oha leaves (and uziza if using) to the soup. Stir through. Cook for just 5 minutes on medium-low heat — Oha leaves are very delicate and must not be overcooked. They should retain their colour and subtle flavour. Taste and adjust all seasonings. Serve immediately.

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