UGEP NATIVE DRAW SOUP
Native name: Kòkpàlàdi Nànà
English name: Fern Leaf Soup
Ugep Native Draw Soup is a traditional delicacy prepared with fern leaf (Ikpàlàdi) and other locally familiar ingredients. It may be prepared during festivals, celebrations, or simply according to the occasion and preference of a household.
Ingredients
Fresh meat, smoked fish, or fresh fish (Ètèn, Èse'ye wu ke, or Kèsà keakei)
Ogbono (bush mango)
Palm oil (Èmlè èteti)
Fresh pepper (Ekepon kèakei)
Mushroom or wood ear mushroom (Kukpatu and Ntunkpa)
Onion (Èyim)
Ground egusi/melon (Èwèwèn)
Crayfish (Ètabasè)
Salt (Yonun)
Water or meat stock
Fern leaf (Ikpàlàdi), properly sliced
Seasoning, if normally used in the household
Preparation
1. Prepare the meat or fish.
Wash the meat or fish thoroughly and place it in a pot. Add pepper, onion, salt, seasoning, and a little water. Cook until tender and the stock is well flavoured.
2. Prepare the fern leaf.
Wash and properly slice the fern leaf. Steam it in a separate pot or pour boiling water over it to help reduce its bitterness and slimy taste.
3. Begin preparing the soup.
Return to the meat or fish stock and add enough water to achieve your desired quantity of soup. Add the prepared fern leaf and allow it to cook thoroughly. Unlike some other vegetables that are added towards the end of cooking, fern leaf is introduced early so that it has enough time to become tender.
4. Add the melon and mushrooms.
Add the ground melon (Èwèwèn) and mushrooms early enough for them to cook properly and blend with the fern leaf.
5. Add the oil and other ingredients.
Add palm oil and allow the soup to cook gently. Stir in the ground pepper, crayfish, and seasoning.
6. Prepare the draw base.
Add the blended crayfish and ogbono to create the characteristic draw consistency of the soup.
Alternatively, the draw base can be prepared separately. Place the palm oil in another clean pot and warm it gently. Add the ground ogbono and stir continuously until it melts into the oil and forms a smooth mixture. Pour this into the soup and stir properly.
7. Add the meat or fish.
Introduce the cooked meat or fish into the soup and allow everything to simmer together so the flavours can combine.
8. Check and adjust the soup.
Taste and adjust the salt or seasoning if necessary. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. If it is too light, allow it to simmer for a little longer until it reaches the desired consistency.
Serving
Serve the soup hot with the customary swallow of your choice, such as:
Kèplè or garri
Udòbò or fufu
Kèjoplè or pounded yam
This simple method of preparing Ugep Native Draw Soup highlights an important characteristic of Ugep cuisine: the final taste often depends on the cook. The quantity of pepper, choice of meat or fish, type of vegetables, and the way the ingredients are combined can all give the soup its distinctive flavour.
Kòkpàlàdi Nànà is more than a meal; it is a taste of Ugep's culinary tradition.
