I visited a friend from Agennegbode the other day and before I could say Jack Robinson Omi Ukpoka and hot pounded yam was emerging from the kitchen. The aroma of spices fills the air, my salivary glands activates itself and I was invited to table. For a moment I thought Maureen, my friend had warmed the soup in the microwave. So reading my mind , she quickly proceeded to explain that she had fixed this soup just in 10 minutes.
According to her, knowing that I was visiting she had previously steamed her meat and only needed to add the coarsely ground corn powder to thicken the soup. Pounded yam was soft and hot. I ate just the size of a tennis which my friend found very funny. My caloric intake consciousness will not let me ignore the corn content of the soup, so I had to take it easy on the pounded yam.
The various spices added is what gives this soup it’s unique aroma. Need I say that I enjoyed the meal and rubbed my tummy to the appreciation of my guest .
I know that Nigerian women are always seeking for simple but delicious meals to cook, this is one of such soups
Omi Ukpoka is cooked with dry corn, the type that is used to make Ogi. My twist to this soup, is that I added sprinkles of Uziza which complements the other spices.
You may decide to further reduce cooking time by washing and sun drying the corn, grind or pound to a fairly smooth powder. It will not very smooth and it is not supposed to be very smooth. I insist on washing my corn as I never know if rodents have danced ‘ samba ‘ on the corn in the trader’s shop:).
Recipe for Omi Ukpoka
8pieces Beef
Handful smoked Fish
10 pieces smoked Prawn
2 tablespoons finely ground Corn
1 cooking spoon PalmOil
2 pieces ground African Nutmeg
1tsp ground Uziza
1 piece Uda ( crushed and deseeded)
Pepper to taste
Water
Seasoning to taste
Salt to taste
Method
1, Wash, season and steam the meat till cooked
2, Add the smoked fish ,shrimp,spices and oil , more water and bring to boil for 5 minutes
3, Lower the heat and stir in the corn grit and mix quickly as you add the corn so that lumps do not form. Cook for 5-7minutes for soup to thicken .
4, Add Uziza leaves and cook for 1 minute and soup is ready.
Cooking tip:
The texture of this soup is like Ofe Nsala or very light Egusi soup. Omi Ukpoka is best cooked and eaten at once. Corn tends to thicken further when cool. You may need to lighten soup with a little water if you have to.
Wow!! This look de
licious. But ma the uziza doesnt like a ground one. Must i grind the uziza?? Thanks ma.
Is this an Estako soup? Must try, thank you ma!
Aunty Iquo,
The picture shows that the corn was sieved after grinding. So which one did you use for the soup: is it the fine powder that went through the sieve or the coarse one that was left in the sieve?
Thanks!
Hi Cindy. It’s the finer one that was used.
Oh my God. We used to eat this soup in the village when were little and from the first day I tasted it I’v never stopped loving it. Back home in Abuja I used to crave for it always but have never brought myself to cooking it. Now that I’m in the State is a whole lot worse than I thought. Seeing the pix 2day has brought back those memories. Pls ma, how did you grind the corn? I can’t use corn flour right? Pls help me with a substitute for that corn cos I can’t take it anymore. Can’t wait to cook this with cat fish.Lol.
Hi, Salma. Please let’s know how you go with the Omi Ukpoka.
interesting!
I am surely trying it!
how did you grind your corn? Can i use the kind of corn used for popcorn or should i use corn meal instead. It is yellow and grainy. I live abroad. Thanks
Hi, Omo. I pounded the corn first in a mortar before using the dry ingredient part of the blender.
I do not know if the pop corn can serve the same purpose but you can always try.
Very interesting soup and brings memories of my childhood. My mum cooks it so well. I’m from “Agenebode”
Hello Bee. I hope you get to relieve the memories and cook it