7,000 Naira

This is an authentic Urhobo beans soup popularly known as Ohwo Beans. It is very similar to the popular Delta Ohwo soup but made with other ingredients that takes this soup to another level. Ohwo Beans is a ceremonial food that is mostly prepared on very special occasions such as marriage ceremonies and during the festive periods. It is a bean dish and is typically made with a special beans (native beans which is usually small and red in color) and it takes many hours to cook before it becomes tender. In the recipe I’ll be using Brown Honey Beans that cooks quicker but also tastes delicious. If you are looking for a new soup to add to your rotation, try Owho Beans Soup and you’ll be glad you did. 

Ready in 120 minutes

Serves 8 people

650 calories 

Ingredients

• 2 cups red Honey beans (1200 naira)
• Palm oil (300 naira)
• Dried fish (1000 naira)
• Dried meat- Tikko (1500 naira)
• Cow leg or kpomo (2000 naira)
• Dried Prawns (500 naira)
• Ground crayfish (100 naira)
• 2 seasoning cubes (100 naira)
• 4-5 grains of salem/negro pepper/urienrien/uda (100 naira)
• Dried pepper to taste 
• Salt to taste
• Usi/starch (200 naira)
• Native salt/Potash (200 naira)

Preparation

• Select the beans to remove dirt and stones before rinsing throughly. It’s advised to soak the beans for about 5 hours or overnight to make it cook quicker and elevate any discomfort usually associated with eating beans. After rinsing, place the beans in a large pot of water and cook over medium heat until tender.
• While the beans is cooking, in another pot cook cow legs, season with only salt and 2 seasoning cubes. Cook the cow legs until tender. If you are using cow skin, Wash thoroughly to remove dirt and sand, then chop into sizeable chunks. 
• Debone the dried fish and soak in hot water to soften before scrubbing until with brush or iron sponge to remove sand and grime. Also Soak the dried meat (tikko) in hot water and scrub the meat the same way the dried fish was cleaned.
• Lightly beat on the grains of salem (urienrien) and remove the seeds. Toss the seeds because they are very bitter. I like to use the Salem whole after removing the seeds but you can grind it into powder before using.
• When the beans is soft, add 4-5 cups of water, dried meat, palm oil, ground crayfish, cooked cow legs, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add dried prawns, grains of salem, seasoning cubes, and cover to cook for about 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, add native salt, dry pepper to taste and dried fish and allow to cook for a few minutes before adding the starch that has been diluted with water. The native salt is salty and acts as an emulsifier and the starch acts as thickener. Pour in the starch and whisk it simultaneously, the more starch you add the thicker the soup. Add starch until you achieve your desired consistency. Stir it to combine and cook the soup uncovered for about 5 minutes. Add salt as needed.
• Once done, you can enjoy your delicious Owho Beans  soup with starch (usi), eba, boiled yam and or green plantains. 

Tips

Owho Beans Soup is an authentic Urhobo delicacy eaten with starch or eba. It is packed with flavor and sure to surprise you and your Family with its bright and spicy flavor profile. If you know Owho Soup, you would know that Owho Beans is the next best thing. Make Owho Beans Soup using this Recipe and you’ll be glad you did.