Many have reached out to me with one particular problem, lately, a lady was like ‘hey, Ijele, how do I make white soup for my in-laws who are paying us a visit in the next three days’?

I was not surprised to know that there are ladies who can’t prepare Afia Efere, thus I was able to control my laughter and we converse for a long time, leaving her with the most self-guiding recipe.

Do you want to know what I told her on the phone that helped in averting the embarrassment her in-laws would have subjected her to? Kindly read this discourse to the end.

About White Soup

White soup is a delicacy peculiar to the Igbo tribe of Nigeria, especially the people of Anambra state. It is regarded as white soup because palm oil is not used for the preparation. 

It is also commonly prepared for mothers who have just given birth. It is also rich in vitamin C which makes it an ideal food for the prevention and treatment of cold, cough and flu.

To prepare your Ofe Nsala, you will need: 

1. 6-8 slices of baby fist yam

2. 1 teaspoon of uziza seeds

3. 1 cup of sliced uziza leaves

4. 2 medium sizes of smoked fish

5. 2 tablespoons of ogiri

6. A handful of sliced utazi leaves

7. 5 pieces of medium catfish

8. 4 tablespoons of crayfish

9. Seasoning to taste

10. Pepper to taste 

11. Salt to taste

How to Make White Soup

In a pot, bring your yam slices to a boil and cook till it’s soft. Mash with either a food processor or mortar and pestle to form a fine dough then set aside. 

Boil water and then add to the bowl containing your catfish, allow to sit for about five minutes for the slime to come out. Drain after and scrap out the slime with a knife.

Blend your spices, that is, your uziza seeds, ogiri and crayfish. Wash and slice your Uziza and Utazi leaves then set them aside.

In a large pot on medium heat, add your catfish, seasoning, salt, dry pepper and water to the fish’s level. Bring to a boil till almost done then add your yam dough (Pounded yam) in bits till it’s dissolved into the broth.

Add your blended spice mix of ogiri, crayfish and uziza seeds. Stir well to combine and allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

After which, add your utazi and uziza leaves sparingly so that the leaves don’t overshadow the soup (remember it’s a light soup), stir into the soup, and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes then take off the heat.

Serve with any swallow of your choice or eat alone like pepper soup.

NOTES: Other thickeners like cocoyam paste, ground oats, and mashed Irish potatoes can still be used, but the standard thickener is yam.