How to cook Ofe Ugba

I am eating garden eggs as dessert after a nice lunch of Ofe Ugba  and Cocoyam wraps. Satisfaction of enjoying a nice meal is written all over me, as my friend, Uloma stops by to enjoy my company this afternoon. I offered lunch as a good hostess should and now  she insists I must share this recipe on this website. Okro soup is one of the more common Nigerian soups. In the southwest it is made plain and combines with stew whilst in the east Okro soup is generally cooked with Ugu. The addition of Ugba to Okro soup gives it a refreshing character and taste. The oil bean bring more protein into the dish.

Uloma says what is particularly interesting for her is this meal is the departure from “swallow”..the Cocoyam wrapped in Ugu leaves. The inspiration for the Cocoyam wraps comes from Ayan Ekpang , an Efik dish that is usually wrapped in Moin Moin leaves. In my creation you get to eat the steamed Cocoyam with the leaves.
Ugba is readily available in Nigerian open market and is sold by Igbo women in the market.
The soup itself comes with the crunchiness of Ugba and the aromatic flavours of Uziza and Cameroun pepper…. This is the life the Naija way. Head tothe kitchen and serve up your Ofe Ugba.

How to make Ofe Ugba ?

Handful Smoked Fish
8 pieces Beef
1 large Snail( cut in four pieces )
4 handfuls Okro ( chopped in small cubes, 1/2 the quantity to be pounded or roughly blended with water.
Uziza( shredded – 3 cooking spoons)
2 cooking spoons Ugba ( sliced oil beans)
4 pieces Fresh Prawns
Cameroon Pepper to taste
2 tablespoonsGround dry Crayfish
2 cooking spoons Palm oil
Beef Seasoning to taste
Salt to taste

Method
1, Season beef with beef seasoning, pepper , salt and cook till almost soft.
2, Add the snails, prawns , smoked fish and crayfish and cook till the snail and prawn are cooked
3, Add 3 cups of water , bring to boil and add the Okro and Uziza stir and  allow to bubble a bit and add the palm oil and cook for 2 minutes.
4, Add the ugba and taste for seasoning and salt
5, Cook soup for 4-5 minutes and serve with the Cocoyam wraps

Cocoyam Wraps
1, Grate or blend about 3 pieces Cocoyam .
2, Add a little salt and 1 cooking spoon water to the Cocoyam and mix
3, Wrap small portions of Cocoyam at a time in the Ugu leaves. Try to buy large leaves to provide you space for wrapping
4, place in a pot with sticks as elevation or place in a steamer and steam. Do not let product get into water cook with steam.
5, Serve with the Ofe Ugba with the cocoyam wraps.