THE MAISON
Nigeria • West African Culinary Heritage

Classic Vegetable Soup

Nigerian Ugu & Waterleaf Soup

A sumptuous Nigerian vegetable soup brimming with tender Ugu, delicate waterleaf, assorted meats, stockfish and periwinkles in a richly seasoned palm-oil broth.

PREPARATION

30 minutes

COOKING

1 hour

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 30 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds assorted beef and tripe, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
  • 8 ounces cooked cow skin, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 ounces dried stockfish, soaked, softened and deboned
  • 1½ cups CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Ugu Leaf
  • 4 cups fresh waterleaf, thoroughly washed and finely sliced
  • ½ cup shelled periwinkles, thoroughly cleaned, optional
  • ½ cup natural red palm oil
  • ¼ cup ground crayfish
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper
  • 3 cups meat stock or water, divided and used as needed
  • 2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

  1. Prepare the Ugu: Place the dried Ugu leaf in a bowl and cover it with warm water. Allow it to soften for 8–10 minutes, then rinse gently, drain thoroughly and set aside.
  2. Prepare the waterleaf: Wash the fresh waterleaf carefully to remove any grit. Drain thoroughly before slicing so it does not introduce excessive water into the soup.
  3. Cook the meats: Place the beef and tripe in a heavy-bottomed pot with the chopped onion, blended habanero, Cameroon pepper and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Add 2 cups of stock or water, cover and simmer until the meats begin to soften.
  4. Add the traditional proteins: Add the softened stockfish and cow skin. Continue cooking until all the proteins are tender and approximately 1½ cups of concentrated broth remain in the pot.
  5. Build the soup foundation: Add the palm oil, ground crayfish and cleaned periwinkles, if using. Stir gently and simmer uncovered for 7–8 minutes so the flavors combine.
  6. Add the waterleaf: Fold the sliced waterleaf into the seasoned broth. Cover and cook for 4–5 minutes, allowing the leaves to soften and release their natural moisture.
  7. Check the consistency: Stir gently and assess the liquid in the pot. The soup should remain moist but not watery. Allow any excessive liquid to reduce before adding the Ugu.
  8. Add the Ugu: Fold in the softened and drained Ugu leaf. Simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring gently until the vegetables are tender and evenly coated in the seasoned broth.
  9. Balance and serve: Taste and adjust the remaining sea salt and pepper. Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Drain both vegetables thoroughly before cooking. Waterleaf naturally releases moisture, so additional stock should be used sparingly once the vegetables enter the pot.
Add the Ugu near the end of cooking to preserve its leafy texture, deep-green appearance and distinctive vegetable character.
The finished soup should be rich with vegetables and lightly coated in palm-oil broth rather than swimming in liquid.
Serve warm with eba, pounded yam, fufu, oat swallow, plantain-flour swallow or your preferred heritage accompaniment.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains fish and shellfish from the stockfish, periwinkles and ground crayfish. Check all packaged ingredients and seasonings before use. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.
FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY

CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Ugu Leaf

SHOP THIS INGREDIENT