• Owo Soup

    Last year I reached out to one of my followers on Instagram because I saw her post about making Owo soup. There were comments that testified to the goodness of her Owo soup so I decided to ask her for a recipe and one year later here we are. She sent in her recipe and pictures and I decided to make the soup myself today and I loved it. I could not stop licking my plate. I took some pictures as well in addition to her pictures. Hope you enjoy this soup as I did. 

    From Tajé

    Hey Afrolemers, LoL I’m Tajé
    I had mentioned to Afrolems about a year ago that I knew how to make Owo in passing during a convo we had. Only for her to contact me almost a year later to make Owo for a feature on her blog. I was surprised she even remembered but of course I agreed. I love to cook and this is the perfect excuse to make Owo (which isn’t the healthiest of options).

    Ingredients
    1 cup of Garri
    2 tablespoons of  starch
    1/2 cup of crayfish,
    10 medium pieces of beef
    5 pieces of roasted cow hide (Kpomo)
    5 snails
    I medium dry fish
    1 tablespoon of grounded dry pepper, & Cameroonian pepper for that flavor kick
    1 teaspoon full of potash
    50 CL of naturally processed Palm Oil (naturally processed Palm oil is considered the healthier option)
    2 seasoning cubes
    Salt to taste
    1 small chopped onion (back in the days onion wasn’t used simply because it was a luxury. As a matter of fact if an elderly person tasted your Owo and chomped on onions she’ll scold you. Lol so chop it down properly it gives a nice flavor)
    3 pieces of Uda (Pepper soup spice) – deseeded

    METHOD

    Pour the garri in a bowl and fill it up with 75cl of water.

    Wash your beef, snails and kpomo, put in a pot and season with chopped onion, seasoning cubes, dry pepper and a pinch of salt. Add 2 liters of water and bring to boil.

    Cook for 20 -30 minutes checking that your meats are soft, then add the crayfish, dry fish, the Uda and palm oil.

    Cook for a further 20 minutes, turn down the heat and add the soaked garri to the soup stirring to make sure no lumps form.

    Add the ground potash and stir. Do not cover the pot after adding the potash allow the ‘science’ take place (this is were it starts to smell and look like owo).

    Mix the starch with 25cl of water and pour into the soup while stirring. Let it cook for further 5 minutes, taste for salt and take it off the burner. Do not cover the soup until it cools.

    And voila you have made a delicious pot of Owo Soup.

    deseeded uda

    Uda (Peppersoup spice)

    dry fish pour garri in owomix starchowo soup by tajeowo and starch

    If you have questions about the recipe, follow Tajé on Instagram to find out more 

    I decided to try the recipe and here are my pictures. I may have been impatient in letting it thicken hence the bubbles but it was delicious.

    Owo Soup Bini Owo Soup Nigerian Owo Soup

    13 comments on “Owo Soup”

    1. cha Reply

      These can never be eaten in d south, i guess d person who thought u has never been to d originator of owo cooking, cos using garri is d last option if d main owo soup is not thick enough.

      • Toju Reply

        Yeah i was wondering the need for garri since there’s already starch and potash. I know of native salt, but its the first time I’m hearing of garri.

        All said, i will try out the recipe exactly as it is.

        • afrolems Reply

          Hello Toju,

          I have never made the soup before, someone sent me the recipe. I tried it out and it was delicious 🙂 let me know how it goes for you.

      • Fome Reply

        I’m Delta, Isoko to be precise. And in the recipe I’m familiar with, both garri and starch are used. Different parts of the South make it differently.

    2. Itse Reply

      Yes @ fome m itsekiri nd ma mum uses starch,garri nd d native salt nd is tasty.nd she doesnt use d common salt

    3. Abiola Reply

      I learnt it from an Itsekiri person and he used both care I and starch so I guess it depends on where you’re from. Kinda how Delta Banga has bitterleaf which was strange to me as I learnt it using only scent leaf.

    4. EBISIN Reply

      Using garri + starch is a correct and good idea I gives a palatable taste so TAJÉ recipe is ok

    5. Joy Reply

      My mum soaks the garri in water for 10to20 mins inside the pot then she adds enough water the pepper and the fish meat crayfish then adds the Palm oil seasoning cube she doesnt use salt before placing it on the fire
      She then covers it to boil so the oil will mix very well
      Then she starts adding the thickners later after which she puts it down from heat

    6. Pingback: Comment on Owo Soup by Joy - Pootaa

    7. Pingback: Touch upon Owo Soup by Touch upon Owo Soup by Pleasure - Pootaa - Pootaa

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