A TASTE OF CULTURE IN EVERY-BITE.
Igbo delicacies are the taste of the east. My cultural food (Igbo) is not only about flavour, warmth, and community. It is a hearty, tasty, deliciousness that you can chew every bite of and have every taste of.
The Igbo delicacies brings everybody together, if you have ever sat at an Igbo gathering before or just any Nigerian occasions -you will know the food is the star of the show, mostly at an Igbo occasions.
Nigerian food is bold, rich and made to be shared. It’s not just about filling your stomach – it’s about community, celebration, and identity. If there’s one thing Nigerian is famous about it’s for their numerous tasty Igbo dishes.
Nigerian delicacies are bold, spicy, and made for sharing specially the Igbo delicacy. In this article, we will be listing the top 10 Igbo oriented dishes. In no particular order, they are not only served at home but for special occasions, like the ordination of the Igwe title Ichie.
- FUFU
In Igbo Language – (Nnia-Kau-I) as ” is Nni-Akpu”. Fufu goes well with any soup. It is soft and swallowed eaten with different kinds of soup and it’s not chewed. The Igbo’s pinch, dip and swallow with our Ofe. The word “Fufu” come from the Akan language, but in Igbo we call it Nni. It means food, Fufu is made up by boiling a starchy food, but specifically it refers to the starchy swallow that goes directly with Ofe Oha and other Igbo delicious soups. Fufu is the center of an Igbo occasions and also soul of Igbo meals. It is also known as “akpu”.
2. OFE OHA(Oha soup)
The Oha Soup is prepared and cooked with these types of local ingredient: green leaf (Uzia leaves) and Uziza Leave used for special herbs in Igbo languages. Oha soup is cooked with Ogiri and thickened with Cocoyam. Has assorted meat and stock fish. Why it’s special! A royal Igbo dish, the Oha Leaves alone gives its unique taste and aroma.
Oha soup is best served with: Semo and Fufu.
3. NKWOBI
Nkwobi: is a spicy cow foot cooked in a thick palm oil sauce with “edible potash” and spices, garnished with Utazi leaves. Why it’s delicious? It tastes enriching, healthy and just melts in the mouth! An Igbo specialty, usually eaten in Obara, occasions with palm wine.
4. UGBA/OFE UGBA/UGBAKA
Ugba is fermented African ollbean seads. Usually boiled for many hours to remove their hard shells and then made very peppery. It is also a key ingredient in making Abacha; a local Igbo salad mixed heavily with palm oil. UGBA is also used to make sauce eaten with yam and soups. And why it’s special? It is a delicacy for special occasions. Pinch in protein, pepperish and eaten with our hands.
Also known as UGBAKA, Ukpaka is used to eat white yam. Firstly, you add your oil (Red) on the fire then pounded Pepper, onions, Ogiri and Ugba together in your local pot called (Ite). Then lastly, your Utazi leaf.
5. ABACHA
Abacha is an African salad! It is shredded cassava mixed with Ugba, palm oil, onions and garden eggs. And why it’s special? Specially, it is an Igbo middle-class food called local salad. It’s light, tangy and perfect for afternoon. It also goes well mostly in the evening eaten with chilled drink Nma or Coca-Cola.
6. Achicha/FioFio
Achicha is a native fruit commonly found in Eastern Nigeria, this food is originated from Enugu State. Achicha is made from the cocoyam fruit and dry pounded using a pistol and mortar. It is cooked with black beans which is called Akidi and toasted after processed then you add your Fio-fio and your Ukpaka (Oil beans).
7. OFE NSALA
Ofe Nsala! White-soup-pepper soup is unique because it is cooked without palm oil or cocoyam. Proteins like; catfish or goat meat and other local recipe added into it. like; “Uziza”. Uziza is mostly needed in Ofe Nsala because it brings out the real aroma and taste of the soup. Why it’s special? It is Light but very flavorful and it called “white soup” because there’s no Palm oil added. It’s the go-to soup for a special guests.
8. OKPA
Okpa is steamed paste made from Bambara beans wrapped in banana/luma leaves. Okpa is made with Uziza leaves that makes it so rich, alongside crayfish although some skip putting crayfish and onions but hot water is poured in as well as palm oil. It looks like moi-moi(beans cake). Okpa is famous for its yellow-orange vibrant colour.
9. OFE AKWU
Ofe Akwu has its own different taste and aroma. Firstly, Cook your Palm nut then transfer into your mortal or your food processor pound. Extract your juice from the palm fruit or palm nuts. Then go ahead to cook your choice of Protein, you can use cow meat, skin or beef, goat meat. Add your Banga stew/juice inside the meat water, stir and add onions.
10. OFE OWERRI
Ofe Owerri is not just a soup but it’s collected a whole experience of the OWERRI people. Famously praised as the “Honorable soul”.
Cook your goat meat, cow intestine, Shaki, Kpomo (cow skin), Kpala fish, smoked cat fish and periwinkle, crayfish, fresh pepper, Ogiri, palm oil, blended pepper. Then you add your Seasoning, cubes salt and pepper. So on. It is high-class food mainly because of its combination of proteins but you can not make OFE OWERRI without okazi & Ugwu leaves, boiled & pounded cocoyam and tge assorted meats -of course!
Igbo food is bold, peppery and fun to eat. Each dish tells a story of family, tradition and the Igbo people.
If you are non-Igbo and willing to lavish your taste buds and do not know which to begin with, you can start with Ofe Oha + pounded yam. Then try Okpa, followed by Abacha, then definitely Nkwobi and perhaps OFE AKWU too.
Other well seasoned and rich Igbo food includes; Ukwa(African breadfruit), Isi Ewu (spicy goat head), Ofe Onugbu (bitter leaf soup).
These are original food in Nigeria that tells the stories of hundreds of ethnic groups from Hausa and Igbo and Yoruba – each region with their own special delicacy, making the country rich in their hearts and in their belly.
Hence! NAIJA GOOD.
Writers: Oguine Divine Chiwendu & Goodness Felix-Adebayo
Editor: Goodness Felix-Adebayo