LounjeLounjePlan my week

Owo Soup

Also known as Owo Soup (Ondo / Delta Border Soup)

Owo Soup is a fascinating border soup that reflects the cultural intersection between Ondo State Yoruba cooking and Delta cooking traditions. It is a palm nut extract-based soup that uses elements from both culinary traditions — the Yoruba use of locust beans (iru) and the Delta use of oburunbebe and atama spices.

Owo Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • Half a tin of palm nut extract OR fresh palm cream
  • Half a medium chicken or big handful of assorted beef
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked fish, soaked and deboned
  • 1 big handful of stockfish, soaked
  • 1 big handful of periwinkles, cleaned
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 3 to 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon of iru (locust beans) — the Yoruba element
  • 1 piece of oburunbebe stick — the Delta element
  • 2 big handfuls of dried atama leaves, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ehuru
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Meat. Season and cook meat or chicken with salt, seasoning cube and onion for 25 to 30 minutes. Reserve stock.

  2. 02

    Building the Base. Thin palm nut extract with 2 glasses of water or use fresh palm cream. Pour into a wide pot. Add oburunbebe stick, crumbled atama leaves and iru. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes to infuse all the spices.

  3. 03

    Adding Proteins and Seasoning. Add all cooked meat, smoked fish, stockfish and periwinkles. Add blended Atarodo, ground ehuru, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes and salt. Pour in reserved meat stock. Stir well and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove oburunbebe stick. Taste and adjust all seasonings.

More soups & broths