Dive into a simple seafood soup from Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states in Nigeria. It is a blending fresh tilapia and shrimp in a tangy tomato base – you’ll love it.
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Cook Time: 20 mins.
Total Time: 35 mins.
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
• Three cloves of minced garlic
• One chopped medium onion
• One tablespoon of olive oil
• One seeded and diced red bell pepper
• One diced big carrot
• ½ tablespoon of dried oregano
• One can of diced tomatoes with the juices as well
• ½ pound of medium shelled shrimp
• ¾ cup of vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ teaspoon of dried chili flakes
• ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt
• Two tablespoons of capers
• 1¼ of tilapia fish
• ½ cup of white wine
• ¼ cup of chopped parsley
Method
1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Toss in the onion, garlic, carrot, and red bell pepper. Sauté until they soften, around 7-8 minutes.
2. Mix in oregano and chile flakes, cooking for a minute. Follow with parsley and white wine, and let it cook another minute.
3. Pour in tomatoes and vegetable broth, letting it gently boil.
4. Put the tilapia in and stir from time to time, cooking until it’s nearly done—about 4 minutes.
5. Introduce the shrimp and let it cook until just done, roughly 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, blend in capers, and season with salt and pepper as you like. Ready to serve!
Okpa
Okpa, a beloved Nigerian street food crafted from the native Bambara nut, offers a tasty and wholesome alternative to high-calorie snacks. Perfect for any time of day, it’s a must-try for both its flavor and health benefits.
Prep Time: 45 mins.
Cook Time: 30 mins.
Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins.
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
• Water as needed
• Four cups of okpa flour
• Two tablespoons of ground crayfish
• Two tablespoons of fresh pepper
• Three cubes of seasoning
• Uziza leaf (sliced)
• Salt to taste
• Banana or plantain leaves for wrapping
Method
1. In a large bowl, mix okpa flour, crayfish, salt, and crushed seasoning cubes.
2. Blend in the oil until the mix turns yellow.
3. Add lukewarm water to the mix, kneading as you pour. Adjust water for desired texture.
4. Mix in blended pepper and sliced uziza using a stick, not hands.
5. In a pot, boil enough water to immerse wrapped okpa.
6. Clean leaves and nylon.
7. Wrap okpa in desired sizes and boil in water for an hour.
8. Serve hot.
