Thread by @Queenn_Ufuoma

The Urhobos can prepare a particular soup without it passing through fire, we call it Irhibotor: The only Delta soup that can be prepared without fire.

It can be prepared in two ways and the second way is what we call Ijaja Ofigbo (forgive my spelling).

THREAD

Let me begin with a story!

A newly married Urhobo bride who didn't know how to cook was asked to prepare Irhibotor before her husband gets back from the farm. Literally, the word "Irhibotor" means "pepper in the ground" or "ground pepper". She was able to cook yam, plantain and

"Irhibotor". When her husband returned from the farm, he asked for his food, she served him the yam and plantain then he asked what about the "Irhibotor". With a smile on her face, she lovingly lead him to the backyard, she had dug the ground and poured grinded pepper inside as

her own interpretation of Irhibotor and that was the end of the marriage.

We were told this story as a way of teaching us that knowing how to cook for your husband is a way of sustaining your marriage, that is why you'll never see an urhobo woman who doesn't know how to cook.

Moving on with my schnapp! 😜

The ingredients are:

1. Pepper soup species
2. Crayfish
3. Smoked fish
4. Pepper
5. Salt or native salt
6. Maggi
7. Onion (optional)
8. Palm oil

This can be prepared in a mortar but let me give it a modern standard like my grandma taught me☺️

1. Roast your pepper soup spices (optional) and grind it alongside pepper, onion and crayfish (I prefer using a grinding stone so I don't have to add water to it anymore but you can also use a blender)

2. Transfer into a bowl, add your salt and Maggi (if you are using native

salt, place it on your grinding stone and mash it. However, be careful about the quantity)

4. Grab your smoked fish, reduce the heat of your gas cooker and roast (you can also use charcoal, firewood or any other means but with firewood, it tastes better and more traditional).

5. Keep roasting your fish with the mixture on your side, while it's very very hot, dip the roasted fish inside the mixture 😊

6. To achieve Ijaja ofigbo, grind some potash, add to the mixture, add some palm oil and keep stirring until it looks thick, can be just as thick as

owho soup, if you find it too thick, you can loosen it with water, bit by bit untill you get your preference.

7. For Ijaja ofigbo, you can take it up a notch by boiling your fish (not smoked), season it and add it inside (that is how the itsekiris do it but I stand to be

corrected). For the Urhobos, we always prefer roasting the fish and dipping it inside.

There's this satisfaction and sweet aroma that comes with it.

You can have it with yam, plantain, eba, or starch.

Serve and Enjoy with a shot of schnapp 🌚🌚

Isiegwarhe oo😊