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Ofe Nsala

Also known as Ofe Nsala (Igbo White Soup)

Nsala is the Igbo white soup: catfish or chicken in a peppery stock, thickened with pounded yam, finished with uziza and utazi, and cooked without palm oil. Lounje already has Afia Efere, the Efik cousin. This is the Igbo name people search.

Ofe Nsala, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 whole catfish, cut and washed with salt and hot water (or 1 kg of chicken)
  • A small lump of pounded yam, about ½ cup, for thickening
  • 2 tablespoons of ground crayfish
  • 1 teaspoon of ground uziza seeds
  • A handful of utazi leaves, shredded
  • 1 Atarodo, blended
  • 1 onion
  • 2 seasoning cubes
  • Salt to taste
  • Ehuru (calabash nutmeg), a pinch, optional

Method

  1. 01

    Cook the fish or chicken with onion, pepper, seasoning and salt in enough water to make a light stock. Do not add palm oil.

  2. 02

    When the protein is almost done, dissolve small pieces of pounded yam into the boiling stock, stirring so it thickens without lumps.

  3. 03

    Add crayfish, uziza seeds and ehuru. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in utazi, taste for salt, and take off the heat so the leaves stay fragrant. Serve with pounded yam, fufu or semo.

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