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Ede Ofe

Also known as Ede Ofe (Cocoyam Soup — Igbo Style)

Ofe Ede is a pure cocoyam soup of the Igbo people where cocoyam is not merely a thickener but the primary ingredient and hero of the dish. Large chunks of boiled cocoyam are combined with a smaller amount of pounded cocoyam for body, then cooked in a rich palm oil and crayfish base with assorted proteins.

Ede Ofe, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 10 to 12 medium cocoyams (ede), peeled
  • A big handful of beef or goat meat
  • 2 big handfuls of stockfish, soaked
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked fish, soaked and deboned
  • 3 cooking spoons of red palm oil
  • 3 big handfuls of ground crayfish
  • 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 tablespoon of ogiri okpei
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 big handfuls of bitter leaf or uziza leaves — optional

Method

  1. 01

    Boiling the Cocoyams. Boil all the peeled cocoyams in salted water for 25 minutes until completely soft. Drain. Take half the cooked cocoyams and pound in a mortar to a smooth paste. Leave the other half as whole pieces.

  2. 02

    Cooking the Meat. Season and cook meat and stockfish in water for 30 minutes. Reserve stock.

  3. 03

    Building the Soup. Heat palm oil in a wide pot. Add ogiri and fry briefly. Add reserved stock, blended Atarodo and ground crayfish. Add cooked meat, stockfish and smoked fish. Season with remaining seasoning cubes and salt. Bring to a simmer.

  4. 04

    Adding Cocoyam. Add the pounded cocoyam paste in pieces to the soup, stirring after each addition. Add the whole cocoyam chunks. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the soup is thick and smooth with the tender cocoyam pieces throughout.

  5. 05

    Adding Leaves (optional). Add bitter leaf or uziza in the final 8 minutes if using. Stir through. Taste and adjust all seasonings. Serve hot.

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