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Top view of Nigerian Ogbono Soup win a white plate. with a side of eggplant swallow wrapped in cling film

Ogbono Soup

Chichi Uguru
Ogbono soup or Ofe Ogbono as it's called by the Igbos in Nigeria is a delicious Soup that is similar to Okro/Okra soup because of its viscosity. In fact Nigerians almost always include it when cooking Okro/Okra Soup. This soup whether made with spinach, Ugu or bitterleaf, happens to be my favorite soup therefore I have learnt to make it to perfection, and yes I am willing to share my expertise with you. Let me show you exactly how I make it.
 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine African, Igbo, Nigerian
Servings 12

Equipment

  • 6-8 qt stainless steel pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (about 130g) dry milled ogbono
  • 1 Tbsp dry milled cameroon pepper or 2 scotch bonnet peppers finely chopped. (see notes 1)
  • 400 g cow feet cooked
  • 500 g stock fish cooked
  • 700 g smoked turkey cooked
  • 4 -6 cups Meat stock
  • ½ cup coarsely ground crayfish
  • 2 medium onion finely chopped and divided (see notes 2)
  • 400 g Ugu leaves or any green leafy vegetable of choice. I used Kale (washed and chopped)
  • 1½ cup palm oil
  • Salt and bouillion powder to taste. (see notes 3)

Instructions

Cooking with Precooked meats

  • Bring the meat stock to boil, add the crayfish, Palm oil and Ogbono then stir. When the ogbono is added to the soup, it will thicken so thin it out with more water or stock to your desired consistency. Let it simmer on medium to low heat for about 8 minutes.
  • Add the precooked assorted meats, stock fish and cleaned and deboned dry fish to the soup, Cook on medium heat for another 5 to 10 mins, or till meat is warmed through. Stir at close intervals to prevent burning. Remember to taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
  • Add the chopped onions and chopped fresh pepper, allow to simmer for about a minute, then add in the chopped Kale vegetable. Stir in the veggies and turn off heat.

Cooking with raw meat

  • Add raw meats to pot, and bring to boil, then add 1/2 of the chopped onions, dry pepper, crayfish, bouillion powder, salt.
  • When the meat is cooked, add palm oil then the ground ogbono. After about a minute you will notice the ogbono thicken the soup. If it is too thick, add more water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Allow the ogbono cook for about 10 minutes on low heat while stirring at close intervals to prevent burning.
  • Add the chopped onions and fresh pepper, allow simmer for about a minute, then add your kale leaves.
  • Stir in the kale and turn off the heat. Let the rsidual heat lightly cook the vegetables.

Notes

  1. If using dry pepper, add it when cooking the meats. If using fresh chopped peppers, I like to add it towards the end of the cooking time at the same time the chopped onions is added.
  2. As per ingredients list, you need two onions when cooking with raw meats. If cooking with precooked meats, you need only one onion because the second onion would have been used while cooking the meat.
  3. Salt and bouillion; If cooking with precooked meats, you just need a little salt and bouillion powder to adjust seasoning since the meat stock is preseasoned. But if cooking with raw meat, start with 1 1/2 Tablespoon of bouillion and about 1 teaspoon of salt and adjust it from there based on individual tastes.