What it is
Ofe Akwu is an Igbo palm-fruit soup made from freshly extracted palm-fruit pulp cooked with meat, fish and seasonings. It has a rich, orange colour and a smooth, savoury character built on the natural oil and flavour of the palm fruit.
Key ingredients
- palm fruit extract
- meat
- fish
- ground crayfish
- onions
- pepper
- ogiri
A list of what goes in, not a recipe. Quantities and method vary by household.
How it is eaten
Ofe Akwu is eaten with pounded yam, rice, fufu or garri, taken by hand when served with a swallow. It is served at everyday family meals and at celebrations across Igbo households.
Cultural significance
Ofe Akwu is a well-known Igbo soup made across south-eastern Nigeria. It is related to the Urhobo, Isoko and Itsekiri Banga soup of the Niger Delta, since both use palm-fruit extract as a base, but the two are prepared with distinct spice traditions and seasoning, and are considered separate dishes rather than the same soup under different names.
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