THE MAISON
Igbo • Southeastern Nigerian Culinary Heritage

Seafood Oha Soup

Igbo Oha Leaf & Seafood Soup

A luxurious Igbo oha soup brimming with fish, crab, shrimp and shellfish in a delicately thickened palm-oil broth fragrant with crayfish and traditional seasonings.

PREPARATION

35 minutes

COOKING

50 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 25 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

  • 1 pound firm fish steaks, cleaned
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound crab pieces, cleaned
  • 8 ounces periwinkles or cleaned sea snails
  • 8 ounces mussels or clams, scrubbed and rinsed
  • 4 ounces dried stockfish, soaked, softened and cleaned
  • 4 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Oha Leaf
  • ½ cup natural red palm oil
  • ½ cup ground cocoyam or 6 small cocoyams, cooked and pounded
  • ¼ cup ground crayfish
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ogiri okpei, optional
  • 5 cups fish or seafood stock
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

  1. Prepare the oha: Place the dried oha leaves in a bowl and cover them with warm water. Soak for 10–15 minutes, rinse gently and drain thoroughly. Tear any larger pieces by hand and set aside.
  2. Prepare the seafood: Rinse the fish, shrimp, crab, periwinkles, shellfish and softened stockfish separately. Keep the shrimp and shellfish chilled until needed.
  3. Build the seafood broth: Place the stockfish in a heavy-bottomed pot with the seafood stock, chopped onion and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes to develop the broth.
  4. Season the foundation: Add the palm oil, ground crayfish, blended habanero, Cameroon pepper and ogiri okpei, if using. Stir gently and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Cook the firm seafood: Add the crab pieces, periwinkles and fish steaks. Cover and simmer gently for 7–9 minutes. Avoid vigorous stirring so the fish remains intact.
  6. Thicken the soup: Blend the ground cocoyam with a little warm stock to form a smooth paste, or add the pounded cocoyam in small portions. Simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring gently, until fully dissolved and lightly thickened.
  7. Add the delicate seafood: Fold in the shrimp and mussels or clams. Cover and cook for 4–6 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and the shells have opened. Discard any shells that remain closed.
  8. Finish with the oha: Add the prepared oha leaves and fold them gently through the soup. Simmer uncovered for 3–4 minutes—just until tender and evenly distributed.
  9. Balance and serve: Taste and adjust the remaining sea salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Oha leaves are traditionally torn rather than finely sliced. Gentle handling preserves their soft texture and characteristic appearance.
Add the seafood in stages. Crab, periwinkles and firm fish require more time, while shrimp and shellfish should be added near the end to prevent overcooking.
Use the cocoyam sparingly. Seafood Oha Soup should be silky and lightly thickened rather than dense or pasty.
Serve warm with pounded yam, eba, oat swallow, plantain flour swallow or your preferred heritage accompaniment.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains fish, shellfish, crustaceans and mollusks from the fish, stockfish, shrimp, crab, periwinkles, mussels or clams and ground crayfish. Check all packaged seasonings before use. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.
FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY

CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Oha Leaf

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