BEST WAYS TO PREPARE ORA OR OHA SOUP
Ora soup also called Oha soup is native to the south Eastern Nigeria. It is a traditional soup similar to the bitter leaf soup but cooked with ora or Oha leaves. Ora also called Oha is special because the tender ora (Oha) leaves used in preparing this soup recipe are seasonal unlike their bitter leaf counterpart which can be found all year round. Though, it is only the vegetable that distinguishes the Ora(Oha) soup and the bitter leaf soup. They taste so different that it is hard to believe the difference of just one ingredients can make a recipe.
PREP: 10 Minutes
COOK: 35 Minutes
SERVES: 2 Minutes
BEST INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING OHA / ORA SOUP
- Vegetable – Ora leaves
- Cocoyam – 8 Small corms
- Red Palm oil – 3 Cooking Spoons
- Assorted Beef – Includes Best cuts, Shaki (Cow tripe)
- Assorted Fish – Dry Fish and Stock Fish
- Chilli Pepper, salt and Crayfish (to taste)
- 2 Stock Cubes
- 1 Teaspoon Ogiri igbo (optional)
DIRECTION FOR PREPARING OHA / ORA SOUP
Preparation Directions for Oha or Ora soup
- Grind the Crayfish and pepper and set aside.
- Wash and boil the Cocoyam corms till soft. Remove the peels and use a mortar and pestle to pound the corms to a smooth paste.
- Using your Fingers, cut the Ora (Oha) leaves into tiny pieces. This technique is to prevent the vegetable from becoming darker in color. This happens when you cut the Ora leaves with a knife.
Cooking Directions For Ora or Oha soup
- Boil the Shaki (Cow tripe), stock fish and dry fish in 1 liter of water till they are well done. First sign of a done Shaki is that the Cuts will start to curl on it’s own.
- Wash the Beef and add to the pot of Shaki and other Fishes, and continue cooking. When the meat is done, add 2 Stock cubes and cook for 5Minutes.
- Add the pepper, Ogiri igbo and ground Crayfish and cook for 10 Minutes. Add the Cocoyam paste in small lumps and then the Palm oil.
- Cover the pot and leave to cook on high heat till all the Cocoyam lumps have dissolved. You can add more water if you feel that the soup is too thick.
- Add the Ora or Oha leaves and leave to cook for about 5 Minutes.
- Add salt to taste and the soup is ready to be served with Eba, Cassava Fufu, Semolina, Amala, Pounded Yam, Semovita, Wheat etc.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
What is the English name for Oha soup?
African Rosewood plant. “Oha” or “Ora” is the Igbo name while the English name is the African Rosewood plant. This plant is very medicinal and grows into a huge tree that retains its green leaves throughout the year. The green leaves are incredibly nutritious and are used in preparing a delicious local soup called Oha/Ora soup.
What is Oha soup made of?
It is one of those native Igbo soups that you taste and just can’t forget. This rich and nutritious soup is usually prepared with the leaves of the African Pterocarpus soyauxii /Pterocarpus mildbraedi tree, known traditionally as Oha leaves.
Which tribe owns Oha soup?
Oha soup is a Nigerian delicacy from the Eastern region, it is commonly prepared by the Igbo people from an evergreen tree whose botanical name is Pterocarpus mildraedii. The main ingredient for the soup is the oha leaf, others include uziza,achi (soup thickener), meat, crayfish ,palm oil and salt.
What is the benefit of Ora soup?
Well prepared ora soup makes digestion easy. The dietary fiber found in it helps to improve the digestive function, explore and absorb the nutrient well. It prevents constipationThis fiber helps to digest the food well, so the food residue can be pushed out of the body easily. It regulates the blood glucose levels.
Is Oha soup good for diabetics?
Oha leaf is a nutritious, leafy-green vegetable use to cook oha soup with many health benefits. This vegetable has been known to help in the treatment of ailments such as diabetes, some forms of cancer, health disease, anemia, and bone disease.
Is Oha soup medicinal?
It contains vitamins that can help in the maintenance of tissues, bones and teeth. The fibre present in Oha also helps to prevent cholesterol buildup making the heart healthier.
What does Oha soup do to the body?
It Promotes Good Digestion. Including oha leaf in your cooking can help facilitate better digestion as it would make the whole digestion process easier, due to its fibre content. Fibre makes it easier to digest food, thereby preventing constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestion problems.
Which is better OHA or insulin?
OHA and IT achieved adequate glycemic control and the effects on circulating and muscle inflammatory biomarkers were similar, but only OHA improved insulin sensitivity, vascular function and CIMT.
Can I use achi for oha soup?
This rich and nutritious soup is usually prepared with the leaves of the African Pterocarpus soyauxii /Pterocarpus mildbraedi tree, known traditionally as Oha leaves. It is also thickened with either cocoyam paste , Achi, Egusi or Ofor, to give it it’s unique consistency.
Is Ora a vegetable?
Ora (Oha) is a unique vegetable hence does not have a good alternative. If you cannot buy cocoyam corms where you live, you can use cocoyam flour.
Which OHA causes weight gain?
Oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) are the most common initial pharmacologic treatments for type 2 diabetes. These medications are known to be associated with changes in weight. The most common choices for initial treatment are metformin or sulfonylureas.
Is OHA safe in liver disease?
Most of the oral antidiabetic agents are considered unsafe in patients with significant liver damage of any type and should therefore not be used. Liver disease is a well-established risk factor for metformin-induced lactic acidosis, which confers a 50% mortality rate.
When should I take OHA?
Generally, a single daily dose of Oha Day 1mg Tablet is sufficient to control blood sugar levels. The dose should be taken whole with water shortly before or during breakfast. However, if you skip breakfast then the medicine should be taken shortly before or during your first main meal.
What is OHA used for?
DIABETES MELLITUS IS A CHRONIC DISEASE that is growing in prevalence worldwide. Pharmacologic therapy is often necessary to achieve optimal glycemic control in the management of diabetes. Orally administered antihyperglycemic agents (OHAs) can be used either alone or in combination with other OHAs or insulin.
What is OHA for diabetes?
Oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) are a group of drugs used to help reduce the amount of sugar present in the blood. They are not insulin, but they stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin. OHAs are usually used in the treatment of adult onset diabetes (also known as Type 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus).
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