Years ago, I tasted this finger-licking soup at Aunty Ngozi's house in Nigeria. Aunty Ngozi, is one of my very kind 'aunties' I went to spend my school breaks with,. She fondly called me, "Kaymerun geh" (Cameroonian girl). On this particular day, we were preparing for a wedding and we needed to load our bellies with food before the wedding delays will kill us of hunger. I don't want to get into how traumatising delays can be for a hungry wedding guest but if you've experienced that before, you know what I mean.
Aunty Ngozi presented me with this finger-licking hunger-curing, trauma-preventing bowl of Ogbono soup made together with okra.
And I haven't looked back since then.
As the "Kaymerun geh" that I am, I was accustomed to eating Ogbono Soup made with Egusi. But this version showed me a new way. Ogbono soup made 'plain' with okra. And this slimy bowl of soup has a signature ethnic taste that is so pleasing to the taste buds. And this bowl of soup is low in calories depending on the meat you use. According to my friend who studied food science, Ogbono seeds have been found to have weight loss properties.
These seeds which come from a specie of mangoes are used in Cameroon and Nigeria to make a variety of soups that are eaten with different kinds of fufu. I have seen Equatorial Guineans use the same seeds to make soup to be eaten with rice.
Today, we are talking about how to cook them together with okra. Ogbono soup with okra together with some garri or fufu is a match-made in heaven.
All you need is some meat and/or fish of choice. I used beef, smoked turkey and cow intestines.
You put in some ground Ogbono, crayfish and plam oil and let it boil. Then you add some seasoning cubes, the okra and some fresh green leaves and viola, ogbono soup with okra.
This soup is well-loved by every human being that lives in this place called my home. Hope you and the people in your life enjoy it too.
Don't you just want to hug that???
Aunty Ngozi, this is for you. Thanks for introducing me to this delicious soup and for taking care of me selflessly. ♥
Recipe
Ogbono Soup with Okra
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (about 1kg) boiled meat/fish of choice
- 1 handful ogbono seeds ground
- 2 cups chopped okra
- 1 handful spinach leaves (or bitterleaf)
- 2 tablespoons palm oil
- 3 or 4 cubes seasoning cubes(Maggi or Knorr)
- ½ cup crayfish
- ½ medium onion (optional)
Instructions
- Put meat and/fish on fire together with the stock. The stock should be at the same level with the meat. If it isn't, add water to that level. Chop onions and add in if using. Bring to a boil.
- Make a paste with some of the boiling water from the meat with the ground ogbono seeds. It will turn slimy. Pour paste into the pot and mix well. Add in palm oil and crayfish. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir from time to time with a wooden spoon.
- Now add in the chopped okra as it is or you can blend it if you like before adding to the pot. Add in your seasonings cubes too. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the soup at this point. If it is too thick, add in some water to loosen it up. Also taste to ensure that seasoning is perfect.
- Chop spinach (or your leaf of choice) and add in. Stir and turn off the heat.
- Serve warm with cooked garri or a fufu of choice. I love it with white garri!
Notes
Nutrition
brenda says
That soup just reminded me of the one we cooked few days back.
I like ogbono soup when its not too thick... With lots of dry black fish, and, okporoko are what I must see in it before I taste... Not a fan of meat.
Precious says
Dried fish in Ogbono is the truth!
naomi ezeugo says
Adding a little ugba and uzziza leaves gives it another level of taste too
Precious says
Thanks for sharing, Naomi!
Imaobong says
Ogbono with okra? I wonder what I'd think about that.
Ogbono is my favorite kind of soup (one of the few soups I eat, really), and Okra is my least favorite.
Same with bitterleaf, most times it ruins the soup for me, but I just might try adding some okra to a little Ogbono this weekend, just to see how it turns out for me.
Thanks for sharing!
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Precious says
I think the Ogbono/Okra combo is worth trying, Ima.
Thanks for stopping by, dear.
Arrey Echi says
You can also replace the bitterleaf with okongobong. It tastes great.
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Bola says
Hehehe! OluwaPrecious (Oluwa means God in Yoruba language), you just brought my fav soup the blog today.
Smoked catfish and thick ponmo must answer 'present ma' in my ogbonno though and my preferred vegetable is uziza (don't know the English name) or bitterleaf (sparingly), I don't like it with ugwu at all.
Eba is bae with it, but pounded yam killeth it more! Step it down with a chilled bottle of coke or pepsi ( me n fizzles).
Thanks for posting madam, might just prepare this for the weekend. Don't forget to gist us about Saturday meeting o. Love you!
Precious says
Hahahaha that your description on how to rock Ogbono soup killeth me.
Saturday meeting gist is coming up soon.
I love you too!
Ope says
Ogbono soups are fine when grilled with basic ingredients.
Remove those pics am salivating
Precious says
Hi Ope, is Ogbono soup grilled?
Amaka says
One of my faves! It was a life-saver back then in school - the cheapest after okra soup. Who doesn't like it?
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Precious says
Lol I wonder oo, Amaka.
Olaitan says
I love soups that draw. They give me so much life. I'm definitely going to try this. Your recipes are always easy to follow.
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Precious says
Please let me know how it goes, hun.
Hadiza French says
Oh, you know one thing? I don't know how to cook this soup. But if I see, I will eat well. I'LL follow your instructions and cook it may be this week. I pray it comes out well.
Precious says
I'm sure it will, Hadiza!
Thanks for stopping by, sis.
Arrey Echi says
I grew up eating it but not exactly like this. My mum used to add it to Ogbono soup when the ogbono was not enough to give that perfect consistency. One way I managed to eat okro as a kid and really enjoyed it. Like this without egusi I never tried it. But I will be trying it soon. Thanks for the tips.
We sure do learn daily.
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Precious says
I wasn't used to r=this method too but when I tried it, it was so finger-licking good.
Hope you enjoy it!
CheecheeLIVE says
Love ogbono especially with something they call okpeyi.I'm sure I got the spelling wrong.What leaves did you use?The pictures are beautiful ??
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Precious says
Never heard about okpeyi. I used spinach, dear.
Thank you!
CherishExpress says
I never used to eat ogbono until recently. It reminds me of good 'ol catarrh... yuck! My friend prepared this exact delicacy a week back however, okra and ogbono and I knew I just had to eat the food because it was just calling my name "Cherish Cherish". Of course, I enjoyed every bit of it and went for a second round.
Cristel says
I love eating this with garri.Didn't hear of egusi can it be added??
Precious says
Yes Cristel, egusi can be added!