Ofe Nsala "Nsala soup"- White soup

Ofe Nsala "Nsala soup" served with Pounded yam

Nsala soup also known as "Ofe Nsala" by the igbos, "Afia efere" by the Calabar people and "White soup" in English is a very popular delicacy in the eastern and southern parts of Nigeria.  It's is known as white soup because this is one of the major Nigerian soups that doesn't require palm oil though some people add very little sometimes. It is also one of the easiest one pot soups I enjoy making.
Before making this soup, I'd prepared my mind that I was going all Traditional with the preparation starting from the mouth watering pounded yam swallow which is the perfect side dish for the Soup to the pounding of the local spices such as Ata rodo "scotch bonnet", Mpkuru uziza seeds, Uda seeds e.t.c. After making this soup, deep within me I knew I had done something right. This was because the whole pot of soup was Used up in one night...lol! The whole Fam kept thanking me even till the next day. This soup would definitely get everyone asking for more.

Ingredients:::

How to prepare white soup (Ofe Nsala recipe)

By Dobbys Signature

Igbo style white soup. Made without palmoil. Perfect when served hot with pounded yam. 

•Prep time: 00:30

•Cook time:00:00

•Category: Soups

Misc:        Serve with swallow

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized Cat Fish

• 500g Beef (Red meat)

• 1 medium sized Dry fish

• 1 small Stock fish (I used the head)

• 1 Red Onion

• 2 Scotch Bonnets "Atarodo"

• 1 tbsp. Peppersoup spice or 1 tbsp. Ground Uda seeds, Ehuru seeds & Mkpuruziza seeds

• 3 Stock cubes, Crushed

• Salt (To taste)

• 2 tbsp. Crayfish, Ground

• 2 cups Yam , pounded - Thickener

• 10 Uziza leaves "False cubeb"

• 5 Utazi leaves "Gongronema latifolium"- Optional

• 2 Small sized Ogiri Okpei
• Ngoloo or Isam (Periwinkle) (As desired)

Instructions:
View the steps Below
Calories per serving: 0
Fat per serving: 0

Directions :::

Preparation of the catfish, dry fish & stock fish:
For this soup any type of meat or seafood can be used. For this, i made use of Red beef and sea foods like Stock fish, Dry Fish, White Periwinkles "Ngoloo(igbo)/ Ngongo (Crossriver) and Catfish ".

• To prepare the stock fish and dry fish, soak them both in hot water for about 5 mins till they regain moisture and soften. Remove the bones from the dry fish, Rinse the stock fish and dry fish - set aside.

• To prepare the periwinkles, Remove the eyes and gut of the periwinkles, Rinse - set aside. For this recipe, i made use of just Ngoloo which is the white periwinkles.

• To prepare the catfish, soak in Hot water till all the slime removes (View the full process Here). Rinse severally and set aside- set aside

Preparation of the pepper & onions
If you've got a blender, simply blend the onion and pepper together with a little water. But to do it traditionally as i did, you could simply pound the onion and pepper - set aside

Preparation of the leaves & Ogiri
For this soup, you can make use of any type of ogiri such as Ogiri egusi, Ogiri Okpei and Dawadawa. For the Igbos, Ogiri Egusi is mostly preferred because of it's very strong Aroma but if you don't have it, you could simply use Ogiri okpei(Igbo) or dawadawa(Hausa). For this, i used Ogiri Okpei which i Simply dissolved in a little amount in water & then set aside.

Preparation of the Utazi & Uziza leaves

The Use of  Utazi is optional and should be added sparingly. it's used to give the soup a slightly bitter taste while the Uziza which is Very Hot/ peppery adds an aromatic flavor & taste to the soup. Avoid adding too much since the scotch bonnet (Atarodo) is being used and also, Chop the utazi and uziza leaves - Set aside

Preparation of the pounded yam
Learn to make pounded yam from scratch
Learn to make pounded yam in a blender

To prepare the soup::::

Step 1: Place the Red beef in a medium sized pot and add a little water just enough to go half way through the beef in the pot. Add the pounded or blended onion and pepper, salt and stock cubes. cook for about 15 mins till a little bit tender.

Step 2: Once the meat is tender, Add some more water (The amount of water you add would be the quantity of soup you'd end up with), Pour in the dissolved ogiri and add the Cat fish, washed stock fish and dry fish, Peppersoup spice / ground uda & mkpuru uziza seeds, Cray fish. leave to boil for about 5 mins

Step 3: Once it starts to boil, Add the tablespoons of pounded yam, stir and cover the pot. The yam would dissolve and thicken the soup. Leave to cook for about 10 mins till it starts to boil and you are satisfied with the thickness. You could add more yam if you want it a little bit thicker.

Step 4: Add the Periwinkles, and chopped Uziza and utazi leaves. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for for 3-5mins

Turn off your burner and serve with Pounded yam or you favorite Swallow

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