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Ofe Akwu

Also known as Ofe Akwu (Igbo New Yam Ceremony — Iri Ji)

The Igbo New Yam Festival — Iri Ji — is one of the most important cultural events in the Igbo calendar, celebrating the harvest of the new yam and giving thanks to Ani (the earth goddess) for agricultural bounty. On Iri Ji morning, the eldest man of the community performs the first yam-eating ceremony, breaking a raw yam and eating a piece as an offering before the celebration feast begins.

Ofe Akwu, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • A large pot of fresh palm nuts OR 2 large tins of palm nut extract
  • 1 whole chicken, cut and cooked
  • a big quantity of assorted beef (shaki, ponmo, ribs), cooked
  • 3 big handfuls of stockfish, soaked
  • 3 big handfuls of smoked catfish, soaked and deboned
  • 5 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 5 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 2 big onions, sliced
  • 2 big tablespoons of ogiri okpei
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ehuru
  • A big handful of uziza leaves
  • A big handful of scent leaves (nchanwu), torn
  • 4 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    The Iri Ji Palm Cream. For Iri Ji, the palm cream must be freshly extracted — canned extract is acceptable but fresh is honoured. Boil palm nuts for 30 minutes. Pound vigorously. Squeeze and strain to extract the richest, most vibrant orange palm cream possible.

  2. 02

    Cooking All the Ceremonial Proteins. Season and cook each protein separately — chicken, beef, stockfish — each in its own well-seasoned stock. Combine all stocks. The quality and variety of proteins is a matter of Iri Ji honour.

  3. 03

    Building the Iri Ji Ofe Akwu. Pour the palm cream into a large pot. Add ogiri, ground ehuru, blended Atarodo and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes to allow the spices to infuse. Add all cooked proteins, ground crayfish and combined stock. Season with seasoning cubes and salt.

  4. 04

    Long Simmering. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. The soup should be deeply orange-red, richly flavoured and concentrate beautifully.

  5. 05

    Final Herbs. Add uziza and scent leaves in the final 5 minutes. Taste and adjust. The soup should be worthy of a New Yam celebration — profound, rich and deeply Igbo.

More festive & ceremonial dishes