Do you love bitter leave soup? If not, it’s time to give this dish a try. This soup is incredibly healthy and flavorful. Bitter leaves are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K. The leaves also contain minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
This soup is perfect for cold winter days. The bitter leaves help warm your body from the inside out. The soup is also easy to make. Simply add the leaves to a pot of boiling water and cook for a few minutes. You can then add some stock or broth and seasonings to taste.
Bitter leaf soup is a regional symbol of Igbo cuisine for the Anambra people of Eastern Nigeria. It is a representation of who they are: bold and resilient.
It is to the Anambra person what Ofe Owerri is to the Owerri person. Bitter leaf soup is what she cooks to demonstrate her mastery of the kitchen (reminds me of the first time I cooked it). There is no menu for an occasion.
The Bitterleaf Soup’s name may seem a little deceptive because a genuine Bitterleaf Soup should not have the slightest form of bitterness to it. This procedure requires filtering and cleaning bitter leaves using water and periodically changing the water.
Bitter leaf is bitter straight from the ground, hence it needs to be thoroughly rinsed to remove bitterness. There is an approach to washing the leaves so that they don’t get broken or shredded into fine pieces. It is largely offered partly washed in the stores either dry or fresh. If one’s Bitterleaf stew tastes bitter, they will be thought of as a bad cook.
If you have never eaten bitter leaves soup before, you need to give this goodness a taste. It tastes so wonderful and very easy to prepare. Lets get to the kitchen.
Bitter leaf soup ingredients
- Washed and squeezed bitterleaf – A handful
- 10 small corms cocoyam
- 3 cooking spoons Red Palm Oil
- Assorted Beef: Includes best cut,
- Assorted fish
- Dry fish and dry fish and stock fish
- Pepper, salt, and ground crayfish (to taste)
- 3 stock cubes
- 1 teaspoon Ogiri Igbo (traditional seasoning)
How To Cook Bitter Leaf Soup
- It is very important to wash bitter leaves properly so they are absolutely free from bitterness. If not, wash and squeeze them more. If the bitterness cannot be washed away (which is usually the case with the bitter leaves sold in stores), boil it for about 15 minutes and wash it in cold water.
- ash and cook the cocoyam till soft. Remove the peels and use a mortar and pestle to pound the corms to a smooth paste. Add a little bit of oil and stir very well.
- To prepare a batch of shaki (cow tripe), stock freshwater fish and dry fish in 1 liter of water until they are thoroughly done. The first sign of the done shaki is that the cuts will begin to curl themselves up.
- Wash the beef and add it to the pot of the shaki etc. and continue cooking. When the meat is done, add three cubes of Maggi Knorr and cook for five minutes.
- Add the ground crayfish, pepper, bitter leaves (if they just have not been parboiled), and the cocoyam paste (in small lumps) and cook for 10 minutes.
- Then add the palm oil and go to step 5. Note If the bitter leaves were parboiled in order to remove the bitterness, then for step 3 add the ground crayfish, pepper, the cocoyam paste (in small lumps), and the bitter leaves.
- Now, make all the components of this dish at this stage. Cover the pot and leave to cook on high till all the cocoyam lumps have dissolved.
- You can add more water, if necessary, to get the soup to the right consistency. Add salt to taste and the soup is ready.
Important Information
Rather than using dried, washed and squeezed bitter leaves, you must first make them soft and fresh again before incorporating them into a stew if you are outside Nigeria. If you cannot purchase cocoyam corms where you live, you can use cocoyam flour.
What is the benefit of bitter leaf soup?
The leaves of the bitter plant are used in soups and stews to add a bitter flavor. The plant is found all over the world and has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. The most common use for the bitter leaf is to treat malaria. Bitter leaf soup is also believed to be a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What can I use to thicken bitter leaf soup?
There are a few different things that you can use to thicken your bitter leaf soup. Cocoyam, use cornstarch. Just mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with some cold water, and then add it to the soup. Another option is to use flour. You can either mix the flour with some cold water or add it directly to the soup. Another option is to use ground up cashews. Just grind up a handful of cashews and add them to the soup.
How long should I boil bitter leaf?
How long you boil bitter leaf will depend on how strong you want the infusion to be. For a mild infusion, boil the leaves for 3 minutes. For a stronger infusion, boil the leaves for up to 10 minutes.
What does bitter leaf soup taste like
Bitter leaf soup is a Nigerian dish made from the leaves of the bitterleaf plant. The leaves have a bitter taste, which is why they’re used to make soup. Bitter leaf soup can be eaten on its own or with rice or yam. It’s a popular dish in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Bitter leaf soup benefits
Bitter leaf soup is a Nigerian dish made with the leaves of Vernonia amygdalina, a plant found in many parts of Africa. The soup has numerous health benefits, including:
- Boosting the immune system – The high levels of vitamin C in bitter leaf soup help to boost the immune system and fight off infection.
- Reducing inflammation – The bitter compounds in the leaves help to reduce inflammation throughout the body, which can help to alleviate conditions such as arthritis and asthma.
- Supporting cardiovascular health – The antioxidants present in bitter leaf soup help to protect against damage to the heart and blood vessels, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Other rice recipes you might love to try.
- How To Cook Fried Egusi Soup With Tomatoes.
- 30 Most Popular Nigerian Foods That Is Heavenly Tasty 2022
- Nigerian Goatmeat Pepper Soup | Easy Guide.
- Nigerian Bitterleaf Soup Recipe
- Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks can be delicious.
- How to make Moin Moin/Moi Moi in tin
- How to prepare Garden egg sauce/ Eggplant sauce
- How To Cook Simple Party Fried Rice
- Cocoyam (Ede – soup thickener and swallow)
- How To Cook Buka Stew
- How To Make Nigerian Moi Moi Roll
- How To Use Stockfish And Its Health Benefits
- How To Cook Achara Soup (Ofe Achara).
- 25 Important Baking Ingredients.
- How to Cook Delicious Achi Soup with a Low Budget
Conclusion
In conclusion, Nigerian bitter leaf soup is an easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for any occasion. The ingredients are easy to find, and the soup can be made in a matter of minutes. So why not give it a try?
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