Traditional African Foods Bitterleaf soup

African Cuisine: Bitterleaf soup

Bitterleaf soup Ingredients

1	Pre washed bitterleaf.
2	Stockfish.
3	Dry fish.
4	Cow meat, or any meat of your choice.
5	Kpomo.
6	Periwinkle (I like it alot)although its optional.
7	Ogiri.
8	Cocoyam or cocoyam flour (thickner).
9	Palm oil.
10	Seasoning of choice.
11	Salt.
12	Atarodo (fresh pepper).
13	Crayfish.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1	First, boil water and pour over your bitterleaf adding a little salt(this helps to reduce the bitter taste faster). After a while, wash it out of the hot water, then wash again with cold water then drain and set aside..
Step 2	Grind/pound your fresh pepper and set aside. Wash and debone your dry fish and set aside. Wash your kpomo thoroughly to remove sand, then dice it into smaller cubes and set aside. Rinse your stock fish in hot water or cold water and set aside. Grind/ pound your crayfish and set aside. Wash your periwinkle properly with salt and warm water and set aside. If using the fresh cocoyam, wash and boil, then when it is soft, pond it smooth and set aside..
Step 3	Wash your meat very well into a clean pot, add your seasoning, Salt, pepper and water. Then put the pot on fire to start cooking.
Step 4	When your meat is almost done, add your stock fish, kpomo, periwinkle and dryfish and allow to cook along side the meat..
Step 5	When the meat is tender enough, add more water, then your grounded fresh pepper and crayfish, then cover the pot and allow to boil for like 5-10mins.
Step 6	Taste for salt and Seasoning, then at this point, add your pounded cocoyam and palm oil, then allow to boil for like 5mins so the soup thickens. If using the cocoyam powder, mix the powder with 2tbps of palm oil or as required and add to the pot of soup, then allow to boil..
Step 7	Next, add your ogiri, allow to boil for 2mins then finally add your bitterleaf..
Step 8	Reduce heat and let it boil for like 3mins. Then remove from heat..
Step 9	Your bitterleaf soup is ready to be consumed with any swallow of your choice..