How To Prepare Ogbono Soup

Ogbono Soup is made from dry ogbolo seeds ( African Bush Mango seeds), It has its origin among the Igbos of South-eastern Nigeria.

It's a thick, rich and slimy soup with an addictive nutty flavor. It's similar to okra soup but different in taste. is one of the easiest soups to prepare.

Ingredients

• 1 cup ground ogbono seeds.
• 1/2 cup palm oil.
• Flutted pumpkin leaves.( Ugwu)
• 1/4 cup ground crayfish (optional)
• I tb spoon ground chilli pepper.
• Salt.
• 1 onion for cooking your meat.
• 1 or two cubes of seasoning.
• Meat and or fish(dry).

Preparation.

1. Place the ground ogbono seeds in a plate and add your palm oil. Stir together until well mixed. If there are chunks of ogbono, break them apart with your spoon and allow the oil soak through. If it still feels a bit dry, you can add some more palm oil.

2. Wash and cut the pumpkin leaves.

3. Wash and cut your fish to a size you desire.

4. Wash and place your meat in a pot. Add salt, chopped onions and I seasoning cube. Mix well and set on a stove to Cook on medium heat.

Do no add water at this stage. The meat will produce it's own water once it's cooking. Leave to boil for about 10minutes or until you notice the water is drying out, add some more water and leave to boil until tender.

Cooking directions.

1. Add the ogbono to the pot of boiling meat (after it becomes tender), allow to boil for five minutes.

2. Add your cray fish, salt and chilli pepper. If you are using fish, add the fish at this point. Check to see if the soup has enough water. If it doesn't add a little. Just a little, you don't want to end up with a watery soup. Partially cover the pot and leave to boil for 15 minutes.

3. Once you add the ogbono, Cook on low heat and stir the content of your pot at intervals. This would prevent the ogbono sticking to the side and bottom of the pot.

4. Add seasoning cube and your vegetable, stir well and boil for 5 minutes. Your ogbono soup is ready.

Serve with Eba, Nsima, Semo, fufu etc.

Note. Use a spatula for cooking ogbono soup. It greatly minimizes the extent to which soup stick to your pot.

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