Igbo • Southeastern Nigerian Culi

Onugbu & Egusi Soup

Igbo Bitter Leaf & Melon Seed Soup

A deeply savory Igbo soup combining golden melon-seed curds, tender meats and distinctive onugbu leaves in a richly seasoned palm-oil broth.

PREPARATION

35 minutes

COOKING

1 hour

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 35 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

2 cups ground egusi, also called white melon seeds
4 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Onugbu Leaf
2 pounds assorted beef, goat meat or cow skin, cut into serving pieces
4 ounces dried stockfish, soaked, softened and cleaned
4 ounces dried fish, rinsed and deboned
¾ cup natural red palm oil
1 large onion, divided
¼ cup ground crayfish
1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
1 tablespoon ogiri okpei, optional
4 cups meat stock, divided and used as needed
1½ cups warm water for mixing the egusi
1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Prepare the onugbu: Place the dried onugbu in a large bowl and cover it with warm water. Soak for 10–15 minutes, then massage the leaves gently between your palms. Drain and rinse repeatedly until the leaves are clean and the bitterness is balanced to your preference. Squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
Season the meat: Place the assorted meat and cow skin in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat until the meat releases its juices.
Build the stock: Add the softened stockfish and enough water to cover the meat lightly. Simmer for 30–40 minutes, or until the meat and cow skin are tender. Reserve approximately 4 cups of the cooking stock.
Prepare the egusi paste: Combine the ground egusi with the remaining finely chopped onion. Add the warm water gradually and mix until a thick, spoonable paste forms.
Form the egusi curds: Warm the palm oil in a clean pot over medium heat. Drop generous spoonfuls of the egusi paste into the oil. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, then turn the curds gently and cook for another 5 minutes.
Season the foundation: Add the ground crayfish, blended habanero, Cameroon pepper and ogiri okpei, if using. Pour 3 cups of the reserved meat stock around the egusi curds and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes.
Add the proteins: Fold in the cooked meat, cow skin, stockfish and dried fish. Add more reserved stock as needed, cover and simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors become fully integrated.
Add the onugbu: Separate the prepared bitter leaves with your fingers and fold them gradually into the soup. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently, until the leaves are tender and evenly distributed.
Balance and serve: Taste and adjust the remaining sea salt, pepper and bitterness. Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Onugbu should retain a gentle, distinctive bitterness. Rinse it enough to soften its intensity without removing its characteristic flavor completely.
Allow each spoonful of egusi paste to set before turning it. Vigorous stirring at the beginning will break the curds and create a smoother soup.
Add the prepared onugbu after the egusi and proteins have developed their flavor. This preserves the leaf’s character while allowing it to absorb the seasoned broth.
Serve warm with pounded yam, eba, oat swallow, plantain flour swallow or your preferred heritage accompaniment.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains fish, shellfish and seeds from the stockfish, dried fish, ground crayfish and egusi. Check all packaged seasonings before use. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY