Ofe Owerri is one of the most expensive Nigerian soups; it is made with assorted meat (which is different parts of cow meat), snails, dried fish and stock fish.
I think you would spend between 4000-10000 Naira if you are looking to make a delicious pot of this soup, there is even a popular Igbo song that suggest that a poor man does not eat ofe owerri. 😀
Ofe owerri simply means Owerri soup (soup indigenous to the people of Owerri). I used to think that I would never make another soup that would comfortably compete with the likes of nsala and oha but this sure takes the cake.
I used just 6 snails but you can use as many as you can find (not more than 1kg), they are medicinal and delicious.
What you find below is a delicious plate of Owerri soup, I used just about a handful of uziza and two cups of fluted pumpkin (ugwu leaves), but it is better to use double of that as listed below. i.e, use 1 cups of sliced uziza plus 3-4 cups of fluted pumpkin (ugwu leaves) when you are making your own soup.
The list of ingredients below was used to make a simple pot of ofe owerri that would serve a family of six twice, you can double the ingredients if you have a larger family.
Ingredients
Serving 6×2
- Cow (assorted meat) 1.5kg
- 6-15 snails
- Dry fish 2 medium sizes
- Stock fish head (medium size)
- 1 cup of sliced Uziza leaves
- 4 cups of sliced fluted pumpkin leaves
- 3 cubes of maggi or knorr
- Cocoyam (ede) see image
- 1 cup of palm oil
- 1 spoon of ogiri (optional).
- Salt and pepper to taste
I always start by parboiling the meat, use just two cubes of knorr, sprinkle on top of the meat and allow to boil for up to 10 minutes until the water is about to dry. Add about 2 cups of water and cook the meat until it is tender, add a teaspoon of salt, cover and allow simmering for 5 minutes.
Blend crayfish, wash the stock fish/dry fish with water and set aside in a plate (remember to remove the center bone/head of the fish. Wash the snails with alum or tangerine/grape juice or dry garri; you just wanna get rid of the slimy fluid.
Snails are wonderful for ofe Owerri, You can also add snails to Oha Soup, tastes delicious!
Boil the cocoa yam until it is soft then remove the back and pound with mortar and pestle until it is seedless. (It would serve as the thickener)
Add about 4-6 cups of water to the already cooked meat;. Add the ground crayfish, washed stock fish/dried fish.
Add red oil and allow boiling for another 10 to 15 minutes. Add a cube of maggi, salt and pepper to taste, the washed snails, stir, add the pounded cocoa yam, ogiri and allow dissolving, (should take about 10 minutes), add the uziza leaves, stir and allow about 2 minutes before adding the fluted pumpkin (ugwu leaves). Allow simmering on low heat for 3-4 minutes and we are done.
That is exactly how to make a delicious pot of ofe Owerri (the popular Owerri soup) you can serve with any one of fufu, eba, semo or even pounded yam. I love it best when served with fufu (loi loi) 😀
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Comments
- 29 Comments
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April 27, 2015
Hmmmmmm. Making me salivate already. Thanks for sharing
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April 27, 2015
thank very much i love this site alot
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April 28, 2015
Wao! i love this site, thanks for sharing.
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May 6, 2015
Tnx alot.I always enjoy ur recipes but I want to point out dt in OFE OWERRI, We use UKAZI & UGU and not Uziza and Ugu
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May 23, 2018
Yes it’s okazi n ugu
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August 17, 2019
Nice one. But in ofe owerri we use ukazi and Ugu not uziza.
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July 13, 2015
Thanks for sharing. l love the meal with hot akpu.
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July 16, 2015
Wao, can’t wait to try it and prepare it for my family.
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July 27, 2015
Wao u re great I love this site may God continue to bless and strengthen u more and more, the owerri soup is right on point.
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July 28, 2015
God bless you for sharing.
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July 28, 2015
Looks Delish no doubt and I like all your delicacies big ups to you. But as an indigene of owerri, our soup must have okazi.
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August 3, 2015
want to say God bless yu a great deal fr sharing yr knowledge abt d various delicacies. thanx fr helping we wives to find one of the ways to keep our men. may d Lord establish yr home too. yu need to taste d ofe owerri i just made,it s superb. kisses!
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August 16, 2015
@ Onyi ofe okazi is superb. but ofe ede is better served with uha.
I love both. sha -
August 18, 2015
Delicious.Thanks for sharing.I will include uziza to my recipie.I only know of ukazi and ugwu leaves.With uziza the flavour will be excellent.
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September 10, 2015
God bless u for this wonderful delicacies, I hope u have all this in the Ultimate book, I cant wait to get my copy. Thanks
Am in Abuja, AM ASK TO CONTACT Mr. Chuks for a copy -
September 15, 2015
Thanks for the recipe. Just to add that Okazi is a vital part of Ofe Owerri and not uziza. Its good you give the main recipe and add that it can be substituted with uziza and not making uziza the main recipe. All the same thumbs up for the great job
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September 24, 2015
thanx maam,i’ll use uziza instead of okazi, to make my ofe owerri cos i am abian married to an akwa ibom, i know he’ll appreciate uziza better in this soup.
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October 7, 2015
plsss chy I really need d handbook plss
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October 11, 2015
Chy,tnx fr sharing with us.U re indeed a blessing to many family.I will try dis nd am sure it ll turn out excellent.
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November 13, 2015
Really happy to be learning a lot from this site keep is up.
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November 15, 2015
I feel like seeing this soup right now.. Thanks alot
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November 18, 2015
Hmmm! I have never heard of Uziza for Owerri soup. My Maternal relatives uses Okazi and Ugu