how to prepare delicious Garden Egg Leaf Soup

Delicious garden egg leaf soup!

Today, I will be sharing  how to prepare delicious garden egg leaf soup, also known as ofe mbuba or ofe akwukwo anara.

During my NYSC days, there was this restaurant opposite my place of work where I usually went to eat.

I did my primary assignment in a bank, due to the nature of my work, once is time for lunch, any opportunity I had, I went to the restaurant to eat.

Each time I went there to eat, most of the customers always demanded for the garden egg leaf soup, and unfortunately, they never met the soup, because it was usually the soup customers demanded most and always got finished on time.

So, if one went there past 2 o’ clock, the person had already made up his or her mind for any other soup not ofe mbuba lol!

So customers adjusted their time a little bit earlier to avoid stories that touched including my colleagues at my place of work.

Also read: Fingerlicking Bitter Soup(Ofe Onugbu)

Prior to my Service year, I’ve never tasted the Garden egg leaf soup, I only knew the garden egg leaf only to be eaten raw when washed thoroughly with salt water.

Infact, twas my grand mother that taught me how to eat the raw garden egg leaf with cayenne fresh pepper.

The pepper is put inside the Garden egg leaf, folded and chewed together, lol! I never enjoyed it then, on account of the bitter taste, but I took it because of the power packed health and nutritional benefits.

One day I went to restaurant and decided to eat the garden egg leaf soup to know what was so special about the soup.

I discovered the garden egg leaf  soup had different taste compared to when taken raw.

I didn’t notice the very bitter taste.

I realized why people so much demanded for ofe mbuba, it was indeed a special soup.

The garden egg leaf had this unique flavour, I never noticed when eaten raw.

I had to prepare delicious garden egg leaf soup .

we so much enjoyed it and it became the soup loved by the family.

Garden egg leaf soup is a Nigerian soup majorly enjoyed by the Igbos and similar to uha soup in terms of preparation.

It is not a popular soup, compared to egusi soup but so unique that once tasted you will love it.

It’s easy to prepare and I prefer the soup light.

Garden egg leaf is loaded with lots of health benefits. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, helps in the prevention of cancer, lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, high in potassium, helps in weight management for those watching weight and serves as blood booster for those that are anaemic.

To prepare delicious Garden egg leaf soup

Garden egg leaf soup Ingredients

• 10 medium sized cow meat
• 1 medium sized stock fish head
• 7 medium sized stock fish flex( you can also used cord,I prefer flex because its softer)
• 2 medium sized dry fish
• 1 medium onion
• 3 seasoning cubes
• Water for cooking
• 5 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 1 wrap ogiri( #50)
• 4 medium fresh pepper
• 3 cooking spoons palm oil
• 4 tablespoonfuls achi( you can as well make use of cocoyam and other thickeners)
• Garden egg leaf as desired

Preparation

1.Wash the cow meat with salt water and set aside

2. Cut open the stock fish head, wash with salt water, including the stock fish flex and set aside

3. In a separate bowl, first scrub the dry fish with only salt and iron sponge to remove sand and excess oil used in the preservation of the fish, then soak in hot water for 2 minutes, transfer into cold water and properly debone

4. Chop onion, coarsely blend the fresh pepper, grind crayfish and achi separately( If you are using Cocoyam, wash and  Cook till soft, peel off the outer skin and pound till soft and fluffy

5. With hands pick and cut the garden egg leaf into bold or sizeable pieces.

Cooking Procedure

1. Put the washed meat, stock fish head and flex in an empty pot

2. Add the chopped Onion, 2 seasoning cubes,salt and apply,leave to steam for 5 minutes

3. Add 2 custard cups of water for cooking and allow to boil for 20 minutes to enable the stoch fish head and the likes cook

4. Add the dry fish, pepper,ground crayfish, ogiri, the remaining seasoning cube and leave for another 5 minutes

5. Add the palm oil, taste if the raw taste of the palm oil is no more, add the achi( thickener), stir ,leave to dissolve completely

6. Add water depending on the thickness you prefer.I love mine light and add salt to taste

7. Wash and add the garden egg leaf as desired, stir, leave for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Yes! My delicious garden egg leaf soup is ready! I tell you, you will love it!

Is garden egg leaf soup your native soup?

Drop your comments let’s know what you think about Garden egg leaf soup?

See you soonest!

Ada.