When you consider trying out some of the best African cuisines, any of these five best soups have to be one of them. It has been officially established that some soups from the south-east, Nigeria are the most delicious and popular in all of the region and beyond.
The south-east region is known as the homeland of the Igbo people of Nigeria, made of a number of states including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and some part of the southern states. Soups like the Egusi soup is a traditional Igbo soup that is prepared with ground melon seeds. It is not only famous nationwide, but it has also received international critical reviews and endorsed by the unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua.
Below are the five best soups from the south-east states of Nigeria.
Best Soups from the South East
1. Bitter leaf soup
The bitter leaf soup locally referred to as ofe onugbu, is the traditional soup in Anambra state where it originated from and became popular in other parts of the country. Its basic ingredient includes the Bitter leaf, of which the name is coined.
Other important ingredients are cocoyam, palm oil, beef (mixed with cow offals or use the part where the skin and bones are attached to the meat), dry fish, stockfish, crayfish, pepper, salt and the local spice known as Ogiri – made out of fermented castor seed.
2. Egusi Soup
Egusi soup is among the best soups on this list and also a traditional Igbo soup considered to be rich in both taste and flavors. It is prepared with ground Melon seeds (egusi) of which the name was coined and its delicious taste has grown its popularity throughout the country such that other tribes in Nigeria, have their own version of Egusi soup – the Yoruba (Efo Elegusi) and the Hausa (Miyan Gushi).
Other major ingredients to prepare egusi soup include, beef (with offals if prefered), stockfish, pumpkin leaf or bitter leaf if prefered, palm oil, crayfish/prawn, pepper, salt and seasoning cubes.
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3. Best Soups – Nsala soup
Nsala soup is a traditional Igbo soup that is originally from Imo state, south-east Nigeria. Many people also refer to the dish as white soup due to the absence of Palm Oil, which is a common ingredient that brightens other soups from the region.
The nsala soup can be prepared with catfish because of the authentic taste it provides and is considered an expensive dish for the elite due to the numerous ingredient it requires.
Other basic ingredients for this special soup include crayfish, bonnet pepper, salt onion, yam and herbs (Utazi leaves).
Besides catfish, you might prefer to cook this soup with bony meat like cow feet or tail; cow offals (also known as assorted meat ), To get a richer taste out of the nsala soup, you can add dried fish and stockfish.
4. Oha/Ora soup
Oha/Ora soup is considered among the best soups of South Easterners of Nigeria. It bears all similarities – ingredients, to the Bitter leaf soup except for its leaves – the Oha/Ora leaves, which makes the taste significantly different from the bitter leaf soup.
5. Okra and Ogbono Soup
Okro/Okra/Ogbono soup may be the last but not the least of five best soups from the south east. Okra as we know it is a well-known vegetable around the world.
The Okra and Ogbono soup is a delicious dish that can be prepared together (combining the Okra and Ogbono) or separately. Ogbono is a seed extracted from the African bush mango, ground and used to prepare the soup. Due to its slimy reaction when mixed with water, the ogbono is often combined with okra as both are a compliment for the soup.
Most kids enjoy the okra soup and are usually introduced to it as their first soup. To prepare this soup, you need certain ingredients including Okra/Ogbono or both, assorted meat (beef, cow leg, cow offals), stockfish, dried fish, crayfish, palm oil, pepper, salt, onion and season cubes.
If you are knowledgable of other best soups from the south-east that should be on this list, please do share with us via the comment box provided below and don’t forget to share with your friends for open discussion.
