Nigerian Ofe Akwu (Palm Fruit Soup)
Ofe Akwu is the Igbo name for palm fruit soup, a deeply flavourful soup made from fresh palm fruit extract. While closely related to Banga soup, the Igbo version has a distinct spice profile, lighter seasoning, and is traditionally served with pounded yam. It is a staple across Igbo communities in Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia, and Delta states.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram fresh palm fruits (or canned palm fruit concentrate)
- 700 grams assorted meat (e.g. beef, shaki, goat, oxtail)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 seasoning cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 200 grams stockfish (panla), soaked and cleaned
- 1 tablespoon ogiri okpei (fermented locust bean paste)
- 1 teaspoons ground ehuru (African nutmeg)
- 3 Scotch bonnet chile peppers, puréed
- 150 grams smoked fish, deboned
- 3 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 150 grams uziza leaf or bitter leaf, shredded
Method
- Boil the palm fruits in water for 20–25 minutes until soft, then drain. Pound the cooked fruits in a mortar to loosen the flesh from the seeds. Add warm water and squeeze the mixture through a sieve. Discard the fibre and seeds. If using canned concentrate, dilute as directed.
- Season the meat with onion, 1 seasoning cube, and salt. Add stockfish midway through cooking. Cook on medium heat until tender. Reserve the meat stock.
- Pour palm fruit extract into a pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and oil rises to the surface about 15–20 minutes
- Add ogiri okpei, ehuru, and puréed chiles. Stir well. Add reserved cooked meat and stock, smoked fish, ground crayfish, and the remaining seasoning cube. Stir and simmer on medium heat.
- Taste and adjust with salt. The soup should be thick, rich, and deeply orange-red. If too thick, add a little warm water and stir.
- Stir in uziza leaf. Cook for 3–5 minutes only. Serve hot with pounded yam (iyán), eba, or fufu.
Equipment
- Cooking pots
- Stirring implement
- Mortar and pestle
- Sieve or other straining tool