Igbo • Southeastern Nigerian Culinary Heritage

Classic Ofe Nsala

Igbo White Soup with Fresh Catfish

A delicately thickened Igbo white soup featuring fresh catfish, tender stockfish, pounded yam and fragrant heritage spices without the addition of palm oil.

PREPARATION

25 minutes

COOKING

45 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 10 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh catfish, cleaned and cut into thick steaks
6 ounces dried stockfish, soaked, rinsed and softened
12 ounces white yam, peeled and cut into medium pieces
6 cups water or light fish stock, divided
¼ cup ground crayfish
2 CaMasi Maison™ Uda Pods, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon CaMasi Maison™ Ground Ehuru
1 teaspoon ground uziza seeds
1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper, adjusted to taste
1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
1 tablespoon ogiri okpei, optional but traditional
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
1 teaspoon natural bouillon powder, optional
½ cup finely sliced fresh uziza leaves

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Prepare the catfish: Place the catfish steaks in a large bowl and cover them with cool water. Add a small amount of salt and gently rub the surfaces to remove excess slime. Rinse thoroughly without handling the delicate flesh roughly.
Soften the stockfish: Place the soaked stockfish in a heavy-bottomed pot with 3 cups of water or fish stock. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until tender. Remove any remaining bones and tough skin if necessary.
Cook the yam: While the stockfish cooks, place the yam pieces in a separate saucepan and cover them with water. Boil for 12–15 minutes, or until completely tender.
Prepare the yam thickener: Drain the cooked yam and pound it in a mortar or blend it with a small amount of warm water until completely smooth and free from lumps. Set aside.
Build the soup base: Add the remaining water or fish stock to the softened stockfish. Stir in the ground crayfish, crushed uda pods, ground ehuru, ground uziza seeds, Cameroon pepper, blended habanero and ogiri, if using.
Develop the broth: Season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the optional bouillon. Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes so the heritage spices release their full aroma.
Thicken the soup: Add the pounded yam to the simmering broth in small portions. Cover and allow it to dissolve for 5–7 minutes, stirring gently until the soup becomes smooth and lightly thickened.
Add the catfish: Arrange the catfish steaks carefully in the soup. Spoon some broth over each piece, cover the pot and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes. Shake the pot lightly when necessary instead of stirring so the fish does not break apart.
Finish with uziza: Add the sliced uziza leaves and simmer uncovered for another 2–3 minutes, just until the leaves soften and release their fragrance.
Balance and serve: Taste and adjust the remaining sea salt and pepper. Remove the crushed uda pods if desired, then allow the soup to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Classic Ofe Nsala is traditionally prepared without palm oil. Its pale appearance comes from the seasoned broth and smooth yam thickener rather than cream, coconut milk or ground nuts.
Add the pounded yam gradually. The finished soup should be silky and lightly thickened—not as dense as a stew—because it will continue to thicken slightly while resting.
Fresh catfish is delicate. After adding it to the pot, avoid vigorous stirring. Gently shake or rotate the pot to distribute the seasonings without breaking the fish.
Serve warm with pounded yam, akpu, eba, oat swallow or your preferred heritage accompaniment.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains fish and shellfish from the catfish, stockfish and ground crayfish. Check the ogiri, bouillon and all packaged seasonings before use. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY