Ofe Okporoko (Stockfish Pepper Soup)
Ofe okporoko is a stockfish pepper soup from the Igbo people of Nigeria, built on dried fish that is simmered until tender. The flavor comes from palm oil, fresh pepper, and two distinctive seasonings: peppery uziza seed and the bitter, fragrant leaves of utazi. The whole pot cooks quickly once the fish is soft. It is flexible at the table, working with rice, boiled yam, agidi, or a swallow.
Instructions
Wash the stockfish and put it in a pot with enough water to cover it. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pot, and cook until the fish is soft enough to bite through easily. Set the fish aside.
Heat a thin layer of palm oil in a clean pot. Add the onion and stir until it turns soft.
Add the tomato and fresh pepper and fry them briefly, just for a few seconds, stirring so they do not scorch.
Return the cooked stockfish to the pot and pour in a little water. Bring it to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then add salt to taste.
Stir in the uziza seeds and the shredded utazi leaves. Cover the pot and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve hot with white rice, agidi, boiled yam, or any Nigerian swallow you like.
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