Ji Mmiri Oku (Yam Pepper Soup for New Mums)

Ji Mmiri Oku is a speacial yam pepper soup prepared specifically for new Mums. It it believed to help cleanse the uterus and help it contract after child birth. Pregnant women or those trying to conceive (both the man and the woman) should stay away from Ji Mmiri Oku because of the risk of premature labour (in the case of pregnancy) and because it may prevent fertilization and implantation (for those trying to conceive). Eat the ordinary Yam Pepper Soup or the Assorted Meat Pepper Soup instead.
Ji Mmiri Oku [Video]
Yam Pepper Soup

Ingredients for Ji Mmiri Oku

• 1kg (2.2 lbs) yam (white puna yam)
• 3 cuts dry Mangala fish
• 2 Cameroon peppers
• 15 pods uda (grains of selim)
• 1 tablespoon dry cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon uziza seeds (false cubeb)
• 5 uziza leaves (false cubeb)
• 5 utazi leaves (gongronema latifolium)
• ½ teaspoon ogiri Igbo (castor seed paste)
• Salt (to taste)

Before you cook Ji Mmiri Oku (Special Yam Pepper Soup)

1. Grind the cameroon peppers, uda, uziza and dry cayenne pepper with a dry mill.
2. Soak the fish in cool water till soft, clean and debone.
3. Rinse and slice the uziza leaves and utazi leaves. Keep separate.
4. Peel and cut the yam tuber into halfmoons and rinse with cool water.

Cooking Directions

1. Put the yam pieces into a pot.
2. Add the dry spices, deboned fish, ogiri Igbo, salt and pour water to cover the yams and start cooking.
3. Cook till you can easily drive a knife into the yams.
4. When that happens, add the uziza leaves and continue cooking.
5. Finally add the utazi leaves, stir very well and take the pot off the stove.

Ji Mmiri Oku should be served piping hot as shown in the image above and the new Mum should try and eat it while it is still very hot.