The Curious Kitchen — Homemade Food Recipes, Experiments & Stories

Most times, because of time, I’ve cooked oha soup using palm oil and store-bought cocoyam flour—and honestly, it always turned out good. The flavour was fine, the texture was right, and it did the job. All the other ingredients remained the same, and there was nothing to complain about.

But this time, I decided to do things differently. Since I already had palm nut extract from making ofe akwu, I used it for this oha soup, alongside freshly boiled and pounded cocoyam. And honestly, the difference was very clear. The depth of flavour from the palm fruit extract and the smooth richness of fresh cocoyam paste can’t be compared to the shortcuts. That experience is why I’m sharing this recipe.

If you’ve only ever cooked oha soup with palm oil and cocoyam flour, this version shows what happens when you go the extra step. It’s richer, more comforting, and absolutely worth the effort.

If you’re short on time, the quicker method still works. But when you have the chance, this version is worth trying at least once.

Ingredients for Oha Soup

• Oha leaves (washed and sliced by hand)
• 8 Cocoyam corms (boiled and pounded)
• 1 kg Palm fruits
• Meat (beef, goat meat or shaki)
• 1 medium head Stockfish (soaked and cleaned)
• 3 pieces Dry fish ( deboned and washed)
• 3 tablespoons Crayfish (ground)
• 6 Fresh yellow peppers
• 1 tablespoon Ogiri
• 3 Seasoning cubes ( to taste)
• Salt to taste

How to Cook Oha Soup

Cook the Meat

Season the meat with salt, onions, and seasoning cubes. Cook until tender, then add stockfish and dry fish and continue cooking until soft and the stock is almost dry.

Prepare the Cocoyam Thickener

Wash the cocoyam corms thoroughly to remove sand, then boil them in plenty of water until very soft.

Peel off the skins while they are still warm and pound them in a mortar (or blend with a little water) until you have a smooth, stretchy paste. Set this aside.

Extract the Palm fruit Juice

Boil the palm fruits until the skin is soft and starts to crack. Drain the water and pound the fruits gently in a mortar until the fleshy part is separated from the nuts.

Add hot water to the pounded pulp, mix well, and strain through a sieve into your cooking pot.

Season the soup

Add the crayfish, pepper, seasoning cubes and salt. Let it Cook for another 5 minutes so that they fuse well.

Final Check

Allow the soup to simmer gently for another minute, then turn off the heat.

Your oha soup is ready.

Key Notes for This Method

• Palm nut extract replaces palm oil in this version
• Fresh cocoyam paste gives a smoother, richer texture
• The soup is deeper in flavour compared to using cocoyam flour

Serving Suggestions

Oha soup is best served with:

• Pounded yam
• Fufu
• Garri
• Semovita

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is my oha soup not thick enough?

You may need more cocoyam paste or more cooking time. Add the paste gradually and allow it to simmer.

Do I need to add palm oil when using palm nut extract?

No. Palm nut extract already contains oil, so adding palm oil is unnecessary.

Can oha soup be frozen?

Freezing is not recommended because the leaves lose texture. If needed, freeze without the leaves and add them fresh later.

🌿 From My Curious Kitchen!

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