In Nigeria, Ogbono soup is popularly known as
‘Draw Soup’ (this is because of the slimy nature).
The main ingredient for ogbono soup is the
ogbono seed which is gotten from the fruit known
in Igbo as ‘Ugiri’. For want of a specific name, Ugiri
has been described by some as a Wild African bush
mango. The flesh is eaten just like the mango and
the outer back (hard core) is dried and broken to
get the inner seed which is the ogbono seed.
Ogbono seed is simply known as ogbono in the
market and the quantity needed in preparing soup
depends on the number of people the soup is
meant for and also the type of vegetable that will
be used.
To cook ogbono soup, one may follow the process
of cooking Egusi soup. The main difference is the
constant stirring and attention/focus that Ogbono
soup needs. In cooking this soup, you might decide
to use Bitter leaf (Onugbo leaf), Pumpkin leaf (Ugu
leaf) or any vegetable preferred (sometimes
popular vegetable from different tribes).
Ingredients for Cooking Ogbono Soup:
Ogbono seeds (2 hand full)
Crayfish
Pepper
Canda/kpomo
Meat/beef
Dried fish/smoked fish
Vegetables (Choose from Onugbo, Ugu or your
preferred vegetable)
Traditional ingredients - Okpeyi and Uziza
(optional)
3 knorr cubes, salt.
Red Oil
Onions (very small bulb)
Important details:
Grind Ogbono seeds. If preferred, grind together
with Okpeyi and Uziza . If Uziza leaf is being used,
separate from stick and cut into small pieces as if
cutting ugu (pumpkin) leaf.
Washing of Vegetables;
Soup
Vegetable Soup Mixes
Onugbo: Wash and then put in a small pot then
add water, a pinch of salt and boil for 5 to 10
minutes to further remove the bitter taste. After
that, remove from the fire and rinse/squeeze out
water. Normally Onugbo leaf is broken into little
pieces when it is being processed to remove the
bitterness but if yours still looks long and rope like,
cut into pieces after squeezing out water. Bear in
mind that some lose their bitter taste after being
processed so if you are satisfied with it, just wash
and cut further is needed without boiling
Ugu: Using Ugu leaf, separate the leaf from the
stick, add salt and wash very well. Try and wash it
three times to remove any sand particles. The salt
for washing should only be added the first time.
Then proceed to cut the leaf into small pieces after
washing it (hold the arranged leafs on a chopping
board and cut gradually, just like cutting onions.
Grind the pepper and crayfish
Wash meat/beef, dried fish/stock fish, kpomo
and other edibles that will be used
Wash and cut the very small bulb of onions into
very tiny cubes
Cooking Directions:
1. Season and cook the Meat/beef, stock fish,
Kpomo etc. Put them in a pot; sprinkle the
very tiny cubes of chopped onions on top of it
to add a nice flavour. Also add the available
knorr/maggi cubes and little quantity of salt (at
the tip of a teaspoon). Close the pot and let it
steam for a while then add water and cook till
tender. Watch the fish and take it out when it’s
done to prevent it from breaking.
2. Add red oil before the meat/beef, dry/stock
fish or kpomo is done.
3. If the meat/beef is tender and the oil has
mixed well, add the grounded pepper and
crayfish. Also add the okpeyi and uziza at this
point if they were not grounded together with
the Ogbono (optional). Stir and close pot to
boil.
4. Then add the grounded Ogbono. This is the
important part so be watchful. Beginners are
advised to remove the meat or other edibles
prior to adding the ogbono so as to be able to
stir properly in order to prevent any lumps
from forming or remaining. Continue stirring in
intervals and cook till the ogbono is done. Also
add small quantity of water while stirring to
prevent it from being too thick. Don’t let the
soup burn but stir reasonably well and avoid
scratching the bottom of the pot while stirring.
Not scratching but stirring well will prevent
lumps from forming and also prevent the stuck
ogbono at the base of the pot from being
scraped off.
5. Add the vegetable you’ve chosen to prepare
your Ogbono soup with. Stir properly to mix it
well then taste for salt or add salt to taste
where needed. Allow to simmer for a while then
next is bringing down the pot and serving the
Ogbono soup moderately hot with garri/eba,
Pounded yam, foo foo/akpu, semo-vita etc.
A well prepared ogbono soup will be very enticing
and may be the key to getting people who don’t
like it to start liking it
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