OFE NSALA(White Soup)

OFE NSALA(White Soup)

OFE NSALA(White Soup)

In Nigeria, one of the main ingredients in soup preparation is Palm Oil. But there are some special kinds of soup that don’t require palm oil and one of those soups is called Ofe Nsala or white soup.

With yam being its main ingredient, the soup is quite popular in the east where it’s original name is Ofe Nsala.
Nsala soup, also called White Soup is undoubtedly very popular with Igbo people. Often referred to as Ofe Nsala by the Igbo folks, it usually has a combo of local spices, meat, pounded yam, vegetables, and fish; which is added together and transformed into a very delicious dish.

Nsala soup is a common staple food that goes well with eba, fufu, starch, pounded yam, wheat, semo, rice, agidi and even boiled yam. Nsala soup is sometimes prepared with small pieces of yam, utazi leaves, and flavored with ogiri or iru.

The most common ingredients used in the preparation of nsala soup are utazi leaves, yam, catfish, and pepper. Utazi leaves are rich in essential amino acids, and contains flavonoids, such as saponins and tannin. Yams are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber and potassium. While catfish is rich in vitamin B12, protein, and nutrients such as selenium, phosphorus, and sodium.

Nsala soup is a pretty spicy one. And thus, Vitamin C and Capsaicin are some of the macro nutrients present in the indigenous soup.
From these, we can say; a plate of nsala soup is packed with a variety of nutrients, minerals and vitamins.

Health benefits

1. Rich In Nutrients
   Nsala soup is very rich in nutritional elements, and has a high content of vitamin C, protein, omega-3 fatty acid, selenium, phosphorus, carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, vitamin B12 and essential amino acids.
2. Fights Cold
   Chicken nsala soup can help fight cold symptoms. This hot spicy soup is great for clearing your nasal congestion when you down with cold. However, it is also rich in vitamin E, C and bioflavonoids, which boosts your immune system, and helps you fight cold.
3. May Help With Childbirth
   Nsala soup is said to contract the uterus, after a woman has given birth, however this has not been medically proven. Nonetheless, a study has suggested that some medicinal plants in Nigeria can help with uterine contractions. It also facilitates the removal of stale blood from the womb of a new mother.
4. Good For Breastfeeding Mothers
   Nsala soup may be good for childbirth, but it is definitely great for breastfeeding moms. A 2020 study found out that consumption of Gongronema latifolium aqueous leaf extract during lactation may improve metabolic homeostasis in babies. Note that Gongronema latifolium is the scientific name of utazi leaves. This simply means that taking nsala soup with utazi when breastfeeding can protect your child against elevation of blood glucose level, and dyslipidemia later in life.
5. Good for the Heart
   It improves the flow of blood and enhances protection of the heart against disease infections. The presence of Capsaicin paves way for safer protection of the heart by lowering amount of triglycerides, cholesterol and platelets aggregation. The excess of these three can trigger stroke, blood vessels and heart diseases.
6. Boosts the Immune System
   Nsala soup strengthens the immune abilities of the body system and helps to keep diseases at bay. It is loaded with antioxidants which contributes to a healthy immune system.
7. Good for Regulating Blood Sugar Levels
   Nsala soup can be consumed by people who want to control their blood sugar levels, or diabetic patients. Several studies have attested to the antidiabetic properties of utazi leaves.
8. Can Help With Weight Management
   Nsala soup is a great soup you can add to your Nigerian weight loss diet. The soup is generally low in calories, but it can vary depending on the ingredients and swallow used in eating it. The calories in nsala might range from 400 to 550 calories. Nonetheless, it is rich in fiber, and can fill you up.

Ingredients
Goat or chicken
Goat or Cow intestine
Stock fish
Seasoning
Crayfish
Dried fish
Salt
Pounded yam
Fresh yellow habanero pepper
Uziza seeds
Uda seed
Cow skin (Ponmo)
Hot leaves (Uziza or Utazi leave)
Ogiri

Procedure

1. Wash all the meat and place in a clean cooking pot.
2. Season all the meat together with stockfish & add dried fish when almost done. Cook until done.
3. Cook yam to done then pound it very smooth keep aside.
4. To the cooked meat; add salt, crayfish, pepper soup spice, habanero pepper, and seasoning to taste. Mix ogiri in small quantity of the soup liquid and add.
5. Cover it to cook very well.
6. Add pounded yam and cook it until it becomes thick
7. Add oziza leaves and stir it. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes.
8. Your soup is ready. Serve with pounded yam or semo, etc.