Nigeria • Igbo Culinary Heritage

Classic Oha Soup

Traditional African Rosewood Leaf Soup

Silky, aromatic and deeply comforting, Classic Oha Soup combines tender African rosewood leaves, cocoyam thickener, assorted meats and heritage seasonings in one of southeastern Nigeria’s most cherished soups.

PREPARATION

35 minutes

COOKING

1 hour 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 55 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

2 pounds assorted meat, such as beef, goat meat, tripe or cow foot, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 cup cooked stockfish pieces, rinsed and deboned
1 medium dried fish, cleaned, deboned and divided into pieces
2 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Oha Leaf, gently rehydrated and drained
1 pound cocoyam, peeled and cooked until tender
3/4 cup natural red palm oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ground Crayfish
1–2 tablespoons ground dried pepper, adjusted to taste
1–2 tablespoons ogiri Igbo, adjusted to taste
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
2 seasoning cubes, optional
5 cups meat stock, plus more as needed

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Prepare the Oha leaves: Place the dried Oha leaves in a large bowl and cover them with lukewarm water. Allow them to soak for 10–15 minutes, or until softened. Drain carefully and rinse once with clean water. Handle the leaves gently so their delicate character is preserved.
Season the meat: Place the cleaned assorted meat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chopped onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, the seasoning cubes if using, and approximately 1 cup of water. Stir to combine.
Cook until tender: Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 35–45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Add small amounts of water as needed. Reserve the cooked meat and approximately 5 cups of its stock.
Add the stockfish: Add the cleaned stockfish during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking. Allow it to soften and absorb the seasoned stock without breaking apart excessively.
Prepare the cocoyam paste: Place the cooked cocoyam in a mortar or bowl and pound or mash it until completely smooth. Add a small amount of palm oil and continue mixing until a soft, uniform paste forms.
Build the soup base: Pour 4 cups of the reserved meat stock into a large pot. Add the remaining onion, palm oil, ground crayfish, dried pepper and ogiri Igbo. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Add the cocoyam: Drop small spoonfuls of the cocoyam paste into the simmering soup. Do not stir immediately. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, allowing the cocoyam to soften and begin dissolving naturally.
Develop the soup: Stir gently until the cocoyam paste dissolves completely and the soup develops a smooth, velvety consistency. Add more reserved stock if the soup becomes too thick.
Return the proteins: Add the cooked meat, stockfish and dried fish. Stir gently and simmer for another 10–15 minutes so the flavors combine. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Add the Oha leaves: Gently fold the rehydrated Oha leaves into the soup. Simmer for only 3–5 minutes, just until the leaves are tender and incorporated. Avoid prolonged cooking, which can diminish their delicate flavor.
Serve: Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with pounded yam, fufu, eba or your preferred heritage swallow.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Oha leaves are traditionally torn by hand rather than finely chopped, helping preserve their delicate texture and aromatic character. When using dried Oha, rehydrate the leaves gently and avoid excessive washing.

Add the Oha only during the final few minutes of cooking. The finished soup should have a smooth, velvety cocoyam body while the leaves remain visible, tender and distinctly aromatic.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains shellfish from ground crayfish and fish from stockfish and dried fish. Check the ingredients of the ogiri and any seasoning cubes used. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY