Ofe Ugba (Ugba Soup) is a traditional Nigerian recipe from the Igbo peoples for a classic stew of oil beans, okra, pumpkin leaf, ground snail and fish with hot chilli powder and Maggi cubes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Nigerian version of: Ugba Soup (Ofe Ugba).
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This is a classic soup (a stew to be served with pounded yam, fufu etc) from the Igbo peoples of Nigeria.
Ugba is the African oil bean (the beans themselves, rather than the pod) which has been sliced thinly and then fermented. They do not last very long, and are not often found outside West Africa. This soup can be made without the ugba, or you can substitute sliced, fresh, broad or fava beans, which though they do not give the same flavour at least approximate the texture and dietary value. This recipe calls for giant edible land snails as an ingredient. For how to prepare these see my guide on how to prepare giant land snails. You could also substitute a number of edible or garden snails (for preparing these see: how to prepare fresh snails).
Ingredients:
60g ugba (sliced and fermented oil beans)
20 okra, finely sliced into rings
1 bunch of ugu leaves (fluted pumkin leaf) [use any squash leaf], finely shredded
100ml red palm oil
4 tbsp dried and ground crayfish (prawns)
6 pieces of giant African land snails (optional)
1 medium piece of dried and smoked fish, washed and flaked
6 pieces of beef (about 80g each)
1 piece of stockfish (dried fish), soaked for at least 2 hours
salt, to taste
hot chilli powder, to taste
2 Maggi (or beef) stock cubes
Method:
Combine the beef and stockfish in a large pot. Add just enough water to barely cover then bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 60 minutes (add more water as needed).
Pour in the palm oil and cook for a further 10 minutes then add the ground crayfish, chilli powder, snail, flaked dried fish and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes more before adding the sliced okra.
Continue cooking for 5 minutes then add the ugu and cook for 5 minutes before adding the shredded ugba. Continue cooking until the greens have wilted then serve hot, accompanied by fufu, eba or pounded yam.
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