YUP Blog Foodie Corner

So my beautiful darlyns, some time ago a little sister of mine called me and was in a bit of a panic. Here is a play back of our conversation.

Little Sis; Aunty Yugo please I need your help o!

(Me a bit alarmed) Aunty Yugo;
Sweety are you okay?

Little Sis; Yes I am (she gave a nervous laugh)

Me; okay calm down. What is wrong?

Little Sis; Its no biggy o! Just that my mum said I should make Ora soup and I can't remember how to make it.

Me;(breaking into a hysterical laughter) Come on sweety! Is that why you sounded like the heavens were falling?

Little Sis; you know my mum now if she comes home and doesnt meet a pot of soup waiting for her to devour, she would give me the tongue lashing of my life.

Me; (still laughing) Don't worry dear, I have got your back. Oya go and get pen and paper so you can take some notes while I tell you what to do.

Funny right? Well some people would say 'but that it is the fault of the mother that she can't cook very well'. Well in this case, it is not. Her mum and indeed all her sisters are excellent cooks, but she being a last baby was always finding ways of sneaking out of the kitchen once it's cooking time. In addition to her plight, she lived as a boarder and then off to the university so soon thereafter. (Lol) I know a lot of people can totally relate with this scenario. Well here is Aunty Yugo to y'all's rescure.

Indeed it's been a while I blogged. But I think I am back for good. So I have created this blog corner for food lovers that need a tip or two for making that favouritedish for you and yours. So voila!!! Enjoy!

So since this week, I have been having this craving for vegetable soup and I thought hey! It's so not the veggy season now, but anyways why don't you dash off to the market and make a delicious pot of Soup or Edikang Nkon. So today I finally made me a pot. Ooooo sooo delicious! Hmmm(licking my lips)
So here we go!

Ingredients;
Water Leaf (should be twice the quantity of the ugu)
Ugu (pumpkin leaves)
Assorted meat
Kpomo
Onions (optional)
Dried Fish
Smoked fish
Crayfish
Yellow Pepper (Rodo pepper or Ose Nsukka)
Locust beans (opkeye)
Red Oil
Salt and seasoning cubes to taste
Periwinkle

Procedure;
1. Boil your meats, dried fish and kpomo with onions, salt and seasoning cubes. The quantity of water to be used should just be enough to cover the meat, as water is not just a friend to this delicacy from our Calabar brethren.

2. While the meat is cooking, wash and shred your vegetables separately. Slicing as thinly as you can.

3. Wash and blend your crayfish, opkeye and yellow pepper. Always rinse your crayfish to get rid of dirts and grits.

4. When the assorted meat and pkomo is tender and have absorbed most of the water, add pieces of dried fish and blended ingredients, cook for 5mins and add your smoked fish and red oil and lower the heat. (My kitchen tip for washing smoked fish is to rub salt firmly but gently all over the body and under the gill cover, and then rinse under running water, this way I have my fish perfect and whole. Then I can pieces to desired sizes.)
*gently remove the smoked fish from the pot to avoid breaking into pieces while stirring before adding your veggies. You can add them back after your soup is ready.

5. Add shredded water leaf. Now the water leaf seem to have taken over the pot, but just a little heat and they will whittle away. You will notice water sipping into your pot by now.
*taste for seasoning and adjust as needed before adding your pumpkin leaves.

6. Add your Ugu (pumpkin leaves) and allow it to steam just a bit. (I love my veggies just abit raw) The magic of the wondrous ugu leaves will mop up most of the water sipped in by the water leaf.
* remember we want our soup to be mushy so always have your water leaf twice or thrice the quantity of the ugu leaves.

7. Viola your rich vegetable soup is ready! Serve with your choice swallow or even rice and ENJOY!