Soups & Stews

Ofe Okazi (Achi-Thickened Leaf Soup)

Name: Ofe Okazi (Achi-Thickened Leaf Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 600 g stewing beef (cubed); 150 g smoked fish (deboned); 200 g fresh okazi leaves (washed and sliced very finely); 25 g ground achi (commercial culinary soup thickener); 100 ml red palm oil; 3 tbsp ground dried crayfish; 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (chopped); 1 stock cube (optional); 1200 ml water (plus extra as needed); to taste salt

Finely cut okazi leaves give texture to a rich meat-and-fish broth bound with achi. Okazi is the Igbo name for the leaf also called afang in Efik and Ibibio cooking. Nky Lily Lete documents thickened Igbo preparations, while a study of cooks in Umuahia records local recipe variation. Here achi supplies body and the leaves retain more texture than in finely pounded afang soup. Cultural context: This achi-thickened Igbo soup differs from vegetable-thickened Efik/Ibibio afang, despite using the same leaf. Egusi and other thickeners appear in other okazi versions.

Achi-thickened ofe okazi with fine leaf strips, beef and smoked fish

25 minPreparation

90 minCooking

6Servings

What you’ll need

6 servings

Let’s get cooking

1
Simmer beef with the stock cube and 1 litre water for 50–65 minutes or until tender.
2
Add smoked fish, crayfish, pepper and palm oil. Simmer 5 minutes.
3
Mix achi with 100 ml cool water until smooth. Whisk it gradually into the broth, then add the finely cut okazi.
4
Simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, until the thickener is cooked and the leaves have softened. Use the remaining water to keep the soup spoonable.
5
Adjust seasoning and serve with eba, akpu or pounded yam.

A little kitchen wisdom

Do not substitute an unidentified seed powder for achi. If using dried okazi, follow its soaking instructions, drain and grind more finely. Timing: active preparation 25 min; cooking 90 min; additional passive time 0 min; conservative planning allowance 115 min. Some stages may overlap. Recipe status: Research draft; not kitchen-tested. Allergens and checks: Fish; Crustaceans (crayfish); Check stock cube label

Recipe notes & sources

Research draft; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Ukazi soup, Okazi soup

This achi-thickened Igbo soup differs from vegetable-thickened Efik/Ibibio afang, despite using the same leaf. Egusi and other thickeners appear in other okazi versions.

Allergens: Fish, Crustaceans (crayfish), Check stock cube label