Bitterleaf soup – Ofe onugbu (as the Igbos like to call it) is very tasty and also comes third on my list of popular Nigerian soups.

This soup is famous because it could be made in more than five different ways by different ethnic groups in Nigeria. It can equally be refrigerated for a very long time (even though I recommend two weeks at most for most Naija soups).

Here is an article to making the much talked about “ofe onugbu”. I stated in one of my posts that most Nigerian soups are named after the leaves or the thickener used in making them.

This soup can be cooked with either egusi (melon seeds), ede (cocoa yam), ofor, achi, or even ogbono.

How to Prepare Bitterleaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)

Bitter leaf soup, like most other Nigerian soups is named after the particular leaf which is used in cooking it.

But of course, you need to wash this leaf to remove at least ninety percent of the bitter taste, just so you do not end up with a very bitter soup.

The ingredients mentioned below would make enough soup for 12 people. You can also increase the size of the ingredients if you want to serve a larger number of people.

You can equally refrigerate the remainder in case you have a smaller family.

Ingredients for Making Bitterleaf Soup

1. 2kg cow head (meat)

2. Bitter leaf (wash to desire)

3. Half cup of ground Crayfish

4. Maggi or Knorr seasoning (3 cubes

5. (a product of castor seeds)(optional)

6. Dry fish (2 medium sizes)

7. Stock fish head (1 big size)

8. Palm oil (about 25cl)

9. Salt and pepper to taste.

10. Cocoa-yam (pounded)

11. Half cup ofor (alternative tickener)

The bitter leave soup takes almost the same process as the cooking of Oha soup.

As a matter of fact, one pot of soup could be cooked up to the point of adding the leaves then you divide it to add Oha to one and bitter leaf to the other.

It is better and more hygienic to wash the leaves yourself, it is a bit of time-consuming but the result is worth the stress.

This is possible if you reside in Nigeria and can find them in your garden. But you can also get the “already made” from any market in the country.

Bitter Leaf Soup Preparation

Step 1

To soften the leaves and further remove the bitter taste, it is advisable to boil alone in ordinary water for 10 to 15 minutes, most people like to add a little quantity of edible potash to hasten this process but I do not support it.

My reason being that this catalyst (potash) tend to affect the whole soup in a slightly negative way.

If you still wish to add potash, it will completely wash off the bitter taste and soften the leaves in less than three minutes of boiling (the reason most people like using it).

But then you would want to boil again alone and wash thoroughly with just water to remove every trace of the potash.

Step 2

Parboil meat with every necessary ingredient, use two seasoning cubes, a teaspoon of salt, and half a cup of onions. Allow to boil for 10 minutes then add water and cook until the meat is tender.

Step 3

Add the (hot-water) washed dry fish, and stockfish and cook until it is tender, add more water then add palm oil, ground crayfish, pepper, maggi seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir and allow to boil.

At this juncture, it should give a good soupy taste (even though it would be watery).

Step 4
Then add the pounded cocoa yam as you can find in the video below (at this point you can add the ground egusi if you choose to make bitter leaf soup with egusi), also add the ogiri now.

Cook till the cocoa yam dissolves, (this would likely take about ten minutes). You could add a teaspoon of ofor, if the soup is not thick enough.

Step 5

Then add the bitter leaves, stir, taste, add more salt if necessary then cook for three to two minutes and you are done with the making of Nigerian Bitter Leaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu).

Your soup is ready at this point and can be eaten with either fufu, garri, semovita, or amala, etc.