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Ofe nsala (catfish white soup)
Ofe Nsala: Igbo peppery white soup of fresh catfish, thickened with yam and scented with uziza
No palm oil goes into ofe nsala, which is why Igbo cooks in Anambra, Enugu and Imo call it white soup: a light, peppery broth of fresh catfish thickened with pounded yam and perfumed with uziza seeds. It is warming and clean-tasting, often cooked for new mothers and for anyone feeling under the weather, and served with pounded yam. Stirring hard after the fish goes in is the usual mistake, as catfish breaks up easily, so swirl the pot instead. Chef's tip: scrub the catfish with hot water and a little salt before cooking to remove the slime, which keeps the broth clear.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb fresh catfishcleaned and cut into 4 cm steaks by the fishmonger
- 1 tbsp saltfor cleaning
- 9 oz white yampeeled, cut in chunks
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 tbsp ground crayfish
- 1 tsp uziza seedsground; sub: ½ tsp black pepper + ½ tsp cubeb or allspice
- 6 uziza or utazi leaves (optional)finely shredded; utazi is bitter, use 2
- 1 stock cubescrumbled; check they are gluten free
- ¾ tsp saltto taste
- 5 cups water
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb fresh catfish in a bowl with 1 tbsp salt and pour over hot (not boiling) water. Rub the pieces with your hands for a minute until the slime comes away, then rinse well in cold water.
5 minStep 2: Boil 9 oz white yam in water for 15–20 minutes, until very soft. Drain and pound or blend with 3 tbsp water into a smooth, sticky paste.
20 minStep 3: In a wide pot, bring 5 cups water to the boil with 1 onion, 2 tsp ground scotch bonnet or dried chilli, 2 tbsp ground crayfish, 1 tsp uziza seeds and 1 stock cubes. Simmer for 8 minutes.
8 minStep 4: Lay in the catfish in one layer and poach over a low heat for 10 minutes without stirring; shake the pot gently instead. The fish is done when opaque and the flesh flakes from the bone.
10 minStep 5: Drop in the yam paste in small lumps and simmer for 6–8 minutes, swirling the pot now and then, until they dissolve and the broth turns cloudy and lightly thick.
7 minStep 6: Add ¾ tsp salt and 6 uziza or utazi leaves, simmer 1 minute more and serve hot with pounded yam.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ofe nsala (catfish white soup) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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