THE UHA SOUP AND WHEAT MEAL/GARRI

I have the pleasure to present to you all the customary local Soup that is a delight to everyone from my state in Abia State Nigeria and this soup is generally accepted even among the non Igbo speaking tribes. Its delicious and nourishing taste makes it a delight for all. Each time visitors come to our town, they must demand for this delicious food. It is popularly called the UHA SOUP (OFE UHA or OFE OKO).

What makes it so special is because it is the best soup that is cooked and served during wedding ceremonies, burial ceremonies and even at home by different families. Everyone loves its taste. May be due to its health benefits too.
Let me go ahead to showcase its ingredients and the method of preparation.

INGREDIENTS:

Uha leaf, Uziza leaf, Stock fish head, dry smoked Fish, Crayfish, dry Pepper, Cow meat skin ‘Kpomo’, Achi, Egusi, Palm oil, Salt, Maggi seasoning. You can add Cow Beef if you desire.

STEP 1:

Wash the Meat and add to your pot slice a little onions to steam your meat for some 10 minutes also add the ‘Kpomo’. Next wash the Stock fish, smoked Fish and put all into the pot to cook together for another 10 minutes.

Bring the pot down and pour the boiled meat inside a bowl. Put the empty pot back to gas stove and add Palm oil. Pour the Egusi and the grinded Achi and turn them to mix together properly and allow it to steam for some 3 minutes.

Then pour back your meat to the soup pot.

At this point point mix your Egusi with the Osu and add little water, salt and pepper and properly pound them together to form a mould.

Cut to smaller pieces to form a ball-like mold. This particular mix is typical of people from Ohafia in Abia State of Nigeria. It adds a lot of spice to your soup and as you eat you take 1 alongside.

We use this type of soup to entertain visitors just to showcase our unique way of tradition.
Pour them to the soup and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add grinded Crafish, Pepper, Salt and Maggi season to bring out the taste. Within a little while, the aroma will wake up someone’s appetite.

While the soup is still on the fire, keep checking it so it does not get burnt.

Separate your vegetable and pick out only the leaves of both the Uha and Uziza leaf.

Then shred them to smaller pieces and wash them thoroughly. Then add the vegetable into the soup. Turn it. By now it has start to thicken. Taste the soup to know how well all the ingredients has cooked together. Allow to simmer for next 5 minutes and the soup is ready.

Turn off the heat and bring it down to dish it, this is the final stage.

To eat this soup, you need “Garri, Akpu, Wheat or Semovita, Any one you choose it is ok. I will prepare Wheat mixed with corn and millet meal and also Garri so anyone can choose his or her taste.

Put water to your pot and boil it. Soon as the water has reached boiling point, add your powdered Wheat meal and turn vigorously till it has cooked for about 10 minutes.

Then bring it down and dish it out and keep.
Boil another water for your ‘Garri’. At boiling point, pour it into the Gari and turn it to smoothness and dish it too.

Now food ready. Call everybody to come and eat.

Let us enjoy this tasty mouth-watering and salivating dish.

Do you know that some men from other neighbouring towns, come to pick wives from my town just because we have a special delicacy that every family look forward to eat without getting tired of this soup.

We call it the 'SWALLOW' type of food. This is because we make smaller rounds of the Wheat meal and take some small soup and swallow it. Our soup has a lot of ‘obstacles’ as the villagers fondly call it. ‘Obstacles inside soup are those different fishes and smaller cut out meat in smaller sizes that fill up the soup and make it thick. You push away the meat to take your desired soup for the swallow. You need to taste it, so palatable.

I want to invite my friends to also participate in this contest and share their delicacy @meymeyshops, @goodspeed22 @ijelady @beautybb @simeon00, please my friends do not miss this contest, you will love it.

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