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Ofe Akwu

Also known as Ofe Akwu (Palm Nut Soup — Igbo Style)

Ofe Akwu is the Igbo name for palm nut soup — a deeply rich, intensely flavoured, brilliantly red soup made from the extract of fresh palm nuts. This soup is one of the most fundamental preparations in Igbo cuisine and is closely related to Banga Soup (the Delta version) and the Yoruba palm oil stew base, yet is distinctly its own dish with a unique Igbo preparation method and spice profile.

Ofe Akwu, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • A big pot of fresh palm nuts (akwu) — about 30 to 40 palm nuts
  • OR 1 large tin of palm nut extract concentrate (as a time-saving substitute)
  • Half a medium-sized chicken or big handful of assorted beef and goat meat
  • 2 big handfuls of stockfish (okporoko), soaked
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked fish, soaked and deboned
  • 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
  • A small handful of fresh scent leaves (nchanwu / basil), torn — optional

Method

  1. 01

    Extracting the Palm Cream (from fresh nuts). Wash the fresh palm nuts. Place in a pot, cover with water and boil for 30 minutes until the orange flesh is very soft and separates easily from the inner shell. Drain and pound the softened palm nuts in a mortar — pound hard enough to loosen the orange flesh but not so hard as to crack the inner kernels. Transfer the pounded mass to a bowl, add a glass of warm water and knead and squeeze with both hands vigorously to extract the thick orange cream. Strain through a sieve to remove fibres and shells. The result is a rich, thick, deep orange palm nut cream. Discard solids.

  2. 02

    Cooking the Meat. Season all meat and chicken with salt, 1 seasoning cube and onion. Cook in enough water to cover for 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Add stockfish in the last 15 minutes. Remove all protein, set aside, and reserve the stock.

  3. 03

    Building the Soup. Pour the palm nut cream (or canned extract mixed with 2 glasses of water) into a wide pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the blended Atarodo, ogiri okpei and ground crayfish. Stir well.

  4. 04

    Adding Protein. Add all the cooked meat, stockfish and smoked fish. Add the remaining seasoning cubes and salt. Pour in enough reserved meat stock to achieve your preferred consistency — Ofe Akwu should be thick but pourable, like a rich cream sauce.

  5. 05

    Simmering. Simmer the soup on medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. The soup will deepen in colour and concentration as it cooks. The oil from the palm nuts will rise to the surface — this is correct and desirable.

  6. 06

    Final Additions. Add the uziza leaves and torn scent leaves in the final 3 minutes if using. Taste and adjust all seasonings. The soup should be brilliantly orange-red, intensely rich and deeply aromatic. Serve hot.

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