THE MAISON
Nigeria • Cross-Regional West African Culinary Heritage

Afang with Ogbono Soup

Nigerian Afang & Bush-Mango Seed Soup

Finely milled Afang leaves and tender waterleaf folded into a richly seasoned Ogbono soup with assorted meats, stockfish, periwinkles and natural red palm oil.

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
  • 1 cup CaMasi Maison™ Ground Ogbono
  • 1½ cups CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Afang/Okazi Leaf
  • 4 cups finely sliced fresh waterleaf
  • ½ cup natural red palm oil
  • ½ cup shelled periwinkles, thoroughly cleaned, optional
  • ¼ cup ground crayfish
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper
  • 5 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 Afang leaf: Place the dried Afang/Okazi leaf in a bowl and cover it with warm water. Allow it to soften for 10 minutes, then rinse, drain thoroughly and mill or pound it until finely textured.
  2. 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.
  3. Add the traditional proteins: Add the softened stockfish and cow skin. Pour in another cup of stock as needed, cover and continue cooking until all the proteins are tender and a flavorful broth has developed.
  4. Prepare the Ogbono: Place the ground Ogbono in a heatproof bowl. Add the palm oil and stir until the powder is completely coated and forms a smooth paste.
  5. Build the soup: Reduce the heat beneath the meat broth. Add the Ogbono mixture in portions, stirring gently until it dissolves and begins to thicken the broth.
  6. Develop the Ogbono: Add 1–2 cups of warm stock gradually until the soup reaches a smooth, gently viscous consistency. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
  7. Season the foundation: Stir in the ground crayfish and cleaned periwinkles, if using. Simmer for another 5 minutes so the flavors become fully integrated.
  8. Add the waterleaf: Fold in the sliced waterleaf and cook uncovered for 4–5 minutes. The leaves will release some moisture and loosen the soup naturally.
  9. Add the Afang: Stir in the finely milled Afang/Okazi leaf. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, adding a small amount of warm stock only if the soup becomes excessively thick.
  10. 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

Finely milling the Afang leaf is essential. Its delicate texture should blend evenly throughout the soup while retaining its distinctive leafy character.
Add the stock gradually after incorporating the Ogbono. The waterleaf will release additional moisture as it cooks, so avoid thinning the soup too early.
Keep the heat moderate once the ground Ogbono has been added. Gentle simmering preserves its smooth texture and characteristic draw while reducing the risk of scorching.
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 Afang/Okazi Leaf & Ground Ogbono

SHOP THIS INGREDIENT