Okazi soup is a thickened vegetable soup from eastern Nigeria. It is similar to Ofe Owerri, the main difference being that Ofe Owerri is thickened with cocoyam (Owerri court), while Okazi soup is thickened with achi, ukpo or ofo. Each thickener has its own peculiar flavour. Ofo is my favourite, while achi is my least favourite.
The day my cousin tasted this ofo version in my house, she carried the rest of the pot of soup back home. It is that good.
Azu nwankata (sungu), a type of dried fish can be used with or in place of your regular dry fish. It is usually ground and used very sparingly and added with crayfish, though I prefer breaking it into tiny pieces. Sungu has a strong, pungent (umami) taste so a little goes a long way. Ugu and achara can also be added to okazi soup.
Okazi leaf is normally sold fresh or dry and both are good for this soup. If using dry okazi, add it early in your cooking so it will rehydrate and soften. Okazi is called Afang in efik or ibibio and is used to prepare the famous Afang soup.
To prepare Okazi Soup
Meat stockfish dry fish 8 cup water + meat stock 3/4 cups palm oil (3 cooking spoons) pepper 4 tablespoons ofo 6 tablespoons ground crayfish 3 seasoning cubes salt 60g achara optional 40g fresh okazi uziza leaf or seed (optional)
Wash meat and stockfish, put in a pot with water, season with salt and seasoning cube, and boil.
Wash dry fish: Soak dry fish in boiling hot water for 2 minutes, drain and rinse well with cold water.
Add dry fish to the boiling meat.
Add palm oil and pepper, cook till meat is tender.
Stir in ofo very well. Whatever lumps that form will dissolve in the heat.
Cook till the colour of the soup becomes homogenous, creamy and yellow.
Add crayfish, achara and seasoning cubes, stir, taste and add salt.
Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Add okazi, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Take off the heat.
Serve with swallow of choice.
You should also make and enjoy my Ugbogoro soup, Afang soup and Utazi soup.
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I am Ganiru, a wife, a mother, a food blogger, a chef, an author and an accountant. I love to cook and write about food, especially Nigerian and afro-centric food...
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What if in process where I don’t have achara, won’t it come out nice
It will still be very delicious. Achara doesn’t add any flavour to the soup.
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Thank you for this recipe. My wife likes to eat my food, so I always like exploring news food.
I’m sure she will love this soup.
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This is tempting willing to try it.
Hi Folake please do try it and let us know how much you enjoyed it
Pls what is ochara and ofo
Hi Kate, Achara is a type of elephant grass. The inner tender stalk is used for this soup. Ofo is a soup thickener. Go to the glossary and see a picture of ofo.