Nigeria • West African Culinary Heritage

Classic Ogbono Soup

West African Wild Mango Seed Soup

A luxuriously smooth and deeply savory Nigerian soup, Classic Ogbono combines finely ground wild mango seeds, heritage seasonings, assorted meats and leafy greens in its unmistakably rich, velvety broth.

PREPARATION

25 minutes

COOKING

1 hour 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 35 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

2 pounds assorted meat, such as beef, goat meat, tripe or cow foot, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 cup cooked stockfish pieces, rinsed and deboned
1 medium dried fish, cleaned, deboned and divided into pieces
8 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ground Ogbono
3/4 cup natural red palm oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ground Crayfish
1–2 tablespoons ground dried pepper, adjusted to taste
2 teaspoons iru or dawadawa, optional
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
2 seasoning cubes, optional
5 cups meat stock, plus more as needed
3 cups chopped ugu, spinach or bitter leaf

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Season the meat: Place the cleaned assorted meat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chopped onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, the seasoning cubes if using, and approximately 1 cup of water. Stir to combine.
Cook until tender: Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 35–45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Add small amounts of water as needed. Reserve the cooked meat and approximately 5 cups of its stock.
Add the stockfish: Add the cleaned stockfish to the meat during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking. Allow it to soften and absorb the seasoned stock without breaking apart excessively.
Prepare the dried fish: Rinse the dried fish carefully, remove all bones and divide it into large pieces. Set it aside so it can be added later without becoming too soft.
Prepare the ogbono mixture: Place the ground ogbono in a clean bowl. Add the palm oil gradually and stir until the ogbono is completely moistened and forms a smooth, thick mixture without dry pockets.
Build the soup base: Pour 4 cups of the reserved meat stock into a large pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the remaining chopped onion, ground crayfish, dried pepper and iru or dawadawa if using. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
Add the ogbono: Reduce the heat to low. Add the ogbono-and-palm-oil mixture to the simmering stock in small portions, stirring continuously until it dissolves evenly and begins to thicken.
Develop the texture: Allow the soup to simmer uncovered over low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more reserved stock gradually until the soup reaches a smooth, flowing consistency. Avoid covering the pot after adding the ogbono.
Return the proteins: Add the cooked meat, stockfish and dried fish to the soup. Stir gently and simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes so the flavors combine. Add more stock if the soup becomes too thick.
Add the greens: Fold in the chopped ugu, spinach or bitter leaf. Simmer for another 4–6 minutes, just until the leaves are tender. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Serve: Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with eba, pounded yam, fufu or your preferred heritage swallow.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Ogbono develops its signature smooth, drawing texture when it is introduced gently over low heat. Mix the ground seeds thoroughly with the palm oil before adding them to the stock, then allow the soup to simmer uncovered.

The soup will continue to thicken as it rests. Keep a little reserved stock nearby and add it gradually until the consistency is rich, silky and easy to serve. Add the leafy greens near the end to preserve their color and character.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains shellfish from ground crayfish and fish from stockfish and dried fish. Check the ingredients of any seasoning cubes used. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY