How to Cook Ofe Nsala, 9 easy steps

Ofe Nsala is made with small pieces of yam with utazi leaves. The soup originates from the Eastern part of Nigeria, Nsala is mostly eaten by the Igbos especially the Anambra people. It is a very easy soup to prepare and it is very rich. People prepare Nsala sop when are expecting visitors it is mostly prepared with catfish, in fact, catfish is the most important ingredient of the soup. The sop can be eaten with, fufu, yam flour, plantain flour, semolina and etc.

have you being searching for how to cook Nsala soup the right way? Do you face trouble cooking Nsala soup? then this post is for you because here we have a list of how to make your Nsala soup.

Though catfish is an important ingredient for preparing Ofe Nsala there are other ingredients you must take note of that are also important to have this delicious soup. Here is a list of ingredients for making Nsala soup.

Ofe Nsala (Nsala Soup) Recipe

• 1 big Catfish
• 8 small pieces white yam
• 5 Utazi leaves
• 2 small seasoning cubes
• Small piece of ogiri okpei
• A handful crayfish
• Habanero pepper (to taste)
• Salt (if necessary)

You should know thaT there was a time when Nsala was mostly eaten by the rich because the poor couldn’t afford the cat fish use in preparing the soup, or for people who do not like fish and prefer beef, you can as well se it for Nsala soup and still get the same result. Nsala soup can actually go with any protein.

1. Catfish is the fish for Ofe Nsala. If you can’t buy catfish where you live, click here for a great alternative including other great alternative Nigerian ingredients.
2. You need just enough yam to give you Ofe Nsala that has a medium consistency.
3. See what utazi (Gongronema latifolium) looks like in the video below.
4. Ogiri Okpei is a traditional Igbo seasoning

Before the preparation of Ofe Nsala (Nsala Soup)

These are the things you must do and also take note of before preparing ofe Nsala Soup.

1. Usually, when you buy catfish in Nigerian markets, the sellers will kill and cut it up for you. Watch this video and this video to see sellers do that for me in Nigerian markets.
2. When you get home, boil hot water and pour on the pieces of fish to remove the slime on the fish as well as toughen them. You want to toughen the catfish so it does not disintegrate in the soup. See the video below.
3. Quickly rinse off the slime with cool water and place the fish in the cooking pot.
4. Peel the yam and cut into medium pieces.
5. Chop the utazi and pound in a mortar with the pepper, ogiri okpei and crayfish. Just give them a rough pound. Same if you are using a blender.

How to cook the Ofe Nsala (Nsala Soup)

1. Add the seasoning cubes (crushed) to the pot of fish.
2. Add the pieces of yam.
3. Pour water to cover everything and start cooking.
4. When the yam is soft and moist, bring them out and place them in a mortar.
5. Add the pounded crayfish, pepper, ogiri okpei and utazi into the pot of fish and continue cooking.
6. Pound the cooked yam in a mortar till smooth and stretchy.
7. Add the yam into the pot of Ofe Nsala in small lumps, cover, and continue cooking.
8. Once the yam dissolves and thickens the soup, it is done. If you achieve medium consistency before all the yam is dissolved, take out the undissolved yam because you do not want the Ofe Nsala to be too thick.
9. Add salt if necessary, stir very well and that’s it!