OFE - OWERRI

Recipe 30

serve 4-6

This is classic Owerri soup flavoured with the ever-aromatic Uziza leaves and lightly thickened with Cocoyam, really captures the natural scent of the Igbo land.

lkg / 2Ib assorted meats (Beef Oxtail, Tripe, Bokoto & Bushmeat )Ponmo,
450g / lib stockfish (washed & flaked )
1 medium dry.fish (washed & flaked)
225g / 8oz ground chillies
225g / 8oz ground crayfish
225g/8oz Uziza leaves, shredded
450g/lib cocoyam boiled and pounded
1lt / 2 pint stock or water
salt to taste

-Wash the meat thoroughly and place in a large pot.

-Season with salt and ground chillies add some stock and cook for 45 minutes.

-

-Meanwhile, wash and peel the cocoyam cook until soft and pound.

-Add the washed smoked fish and stock to the pot of boiling meats and cook for I0 minutes.

-Add the stock and bring to boil.

-Mould the pounded cocoyam into small balls and add to soup, stir in the crayfish, shredded Uziza leaves and oil.

-Adjust seasoning and simmer for 15 minutes until slightly thick.

-Serve hot with Nni-oka or Pounded yam

EFO-RIRO ( RICH VEGETABLE STEW )

Recipe 21

serves 4-6

This is a Yoruba(South Western Nigeria) Speciality made with assorted parts of meat, dried fish, fresh crab claws and fried snails in combinations with green vegetables such as Soko or Tete as is popularly called in the Yoruba L anguage.

I kg / 2 lb fresh soko or tete (washed & blanched)
500g / llb assorted parts of meat (washed)
225g/ 8oz stock fish (pre-soaked)
I medium smoked fish
225§/8oz bushmeat (washed)
22 5g / 8oz cooked crab claws
4 snails (washed with lemon juice)
22 5g / 8oz ground crayfish
225g / 8oz fresh pepper
500g / llb fresh tomatoes
1 small tin tomato puree (optional)
2 medium onions
190ml / 6fl 07, palm-oil
I teaspoon iru (Local Seasoning)
lpt stock or water
salt to taste.

Place the washed meats in a large pot.

-Season with salt and ground pepper and boil for about 30 minutes or until tender.

-Add the smoked fish, stockfish, crab claws and snails and cook for another 10 minutes.

-Remove from heat and place in a clean bowl. Wipe the pot out and pour in the palm-oil.

-Place pot on fire to heat up the oil.

-Ground the tomatoes, onions, and chillies, add to the hot oil and fry for lO minutes, stirring frequently.

-Add tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes until well blended.

-Add the cooked meats, crayfish and some more stock if necessary.

-Simmer for 10 minutes.

-Finally, add the blanched tete or soko, cook for 5 minutes.

-Correct seasoning and serve with Iyan (Pounded Yam)