HOW TO PREPARE OKAZI SOUP A NIGERIAL MEAL(with health benefits)

HOW TO PREPARE OKAZI SOUP A NIGERIANMEAL

Okazi Soup is a delicious Nigerian soup made up of a mixture of vegetables (Afang /Okazi leaves and water leaves or spinach or lamb lettuce), assorted fish, meat, spices and a soup thickener, which can be either achi, ofor, ukazi or ukpo.

INGREDIENTS 

- 1 handful Egusi /melon seeds or 2 handful ground Egusi /melon seeds (achi OR ofor OR ukpo can be used as a substitute)
- 500 gr beef or assorted meat
- 100 gr Smoked fish
- Stock fish (optional)
- Shelled Periwinkle(optional)
- 2 tablespoonful ground crayfish
- Fresh pepper or ground dried pepper (to taste)
- Water leaves(or lamb lettuce as an alternative if you live outside Africa)
- Afang Leaves(okazi/ukazi leaves)
- 500 ml Palm oil
- 1 Stock/seasoning cube
- salt to taste

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1. First cook the assorted meat and stock fish, Clean the dried fish and set aside.
- Grind the achi or egusi seeds (melon seeds), add some warm water in it, mix well, and set aside
- Slice the water leaves and Okazi leaves and set aside. If you are making use of dried Okazi leaves, you can blend it.

2. Heat up the palm oil, add some chopped onion, fry a bit and then add the mixed egusi. Stir the mixture continuously until the egusi begins to bubble a bit.

3. Now add some meat stock, mix thoroughly, cover and leave to boil for 5 minutes.
(if using achi, this is the time to add it)

 After 5 minutes, add the stock cube, pepper and ground crayfish. Mix well and then add the cooked meat, stock fish and dry fish. You can add periwinkles at the stage, if you have some. Cover and leave to cook for 2 minutes.

4. Next, add the Okazi leaves, leave to simmer for 5 minutes and then add the water leaves. Add salt to taste, simmer for 2 minutes and your Okazi Soup is ready.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF OKAZI SOUP

1.   It contains iron which helps in forming hemoglobin that transports oxygen to different parts of the body.

2.   It aids the production of antibodies that helps protect the body from infections.

3.   It contains sulfur compounds; chromium and vitamin B6 which helps prevent heart disease by lowering high homocysteine level.

4.   It provides the body with protein and helps repair damaged tissues.

5.   Its fiber content keeps cholesteroland heart disease under control.