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Ogbono soup
Ofe ogbono: the drawy, nutty soup of ground wild mango seeds with assorted meat and stockfish
Ogbono is cooked all over Nigeria, from Enugu and Onitsha to Lagos canteens, and its stretchy, 'drawy' texture is the whole point: the ground seeds of the wild bush mango thicken the soup into silky strands that slide down with eba, fufu or pounded yam. The flavour is earthy and nutty, rounded out with palm oil, crayfish, stockfish and assorted meat, and finished with a handful of ugu or bitter leaf. It is a quick soup once the meat is cooked and a weekday favourite. Ground ogbono is sold in African shops; buy it fresh, as stale ogbono tastes musty. Chef's tip: dissolve the ogbono in warm palm oil off the heat before adding the stock, so it melts into the soup without lumps.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the meats
- 1 ⅛ lb beef chuckcut into 4 cm pieces
- 7 oz beef tripe (optional)cleaned and cut into strips
- 3 ½ oz stockfishsoaked overnight and cut into pieces; or use dried salt cod, soaked
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 tsp saltto taste
- 3 ¾ cups water
For the soup
- 3 ½ oz ground ogbonobush mango seed
- ½ cup red palm oil
- 3 ½ oz smoked dried fishdeboned, rinsed
- 3 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 scotch bonnet chilliespounded
- 5 ½ oz ugu or spinach leavesshredded
- 3 ½ oz okra (optional)finely chopped, for extra draw
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb beef chuck, 7 oz beef tripe, 3 ½ oz stockfish, 1 onion, 2 stock cubes and 1 tsp salt in a pot, cover and steam over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add 3 ¾ cups water and simmer, covered, until tender.
40 minStep 2: Warm ½ cup red palm oil in a separate pot over a low heat for 1 minute, just until runny, then take it off the heat and stir in 3 ½ oz ground ogbono until it melts into a smooth, thick paste.
2 minStep 3: Return to a low heat and add the meat stock a ladleful at a time, stirring after each, until the soup is smooth and starts to draw.
4 minStep 4: Add the meats, 3 ½ oz smoked dried fish, 3 tbsp ground crayfish and 2 scotch bonnet chillies. Simmer gently, stirring often and scraping the bottom, as ogbono catches easily and a scorched pot is the common mistake.
8 minStep 5: Stir in 3 ½ oz okra, if using, and 5 ½ oz ugu or spinach leaves and cook just until the leaves wilt. Taste for salt, loosen with a little hot water if very thick, and serve with eba, fufu or pounded yam.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ogbono soup take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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