Ogbono Soup with Shrimp and Smoked Fish
Ofe Ogbono·(oh-fay oh-gboh-noh)
The Soup Pot and the Swallow
Ogbono is the ultimate litmus test of the Nigerian diaspora kitchen, a rich, viscous soup engineered to cling perfectly to a ball of pounded yam. First-generation kids often sweat over recreating that deep, elastic texture of their mothers' pots, but the ancestral secrets are dead simple: grind whole seeds, never fry them in hot oil, and never cover the simmering pot. Built on a luxurious but weeknight-friendly foundation of African smoked fish and sweet supermarket shrimp, this is a bowl of unadulterated home.
Before you start
Grind the whole ogbono seeds to a fine powder in a clean spice grinder or dry mill immediately before cooking.
Pre-ground commercial ogbono is often stale or cut with fillers, which ruins the soup's ability to draw.
Soak the smoked dried catfish in hot water for ten minutes to soften.
Thoroughly clean, de-bone, and break the softened fish into bite-sized chunks to prepare it for the pot.
Ingredients
- whole ogbono seeds1 cup
- red palm oil1/3 cup
- smoked dried catfish1 large
- ground dried crayfish2 tbsp
- iru1 tbsp
- Cameroon pepper1 tsp
- beef or chicken stock4 cup
- raw shrimp1 lb
- red onion1 small
- bouillon cubes2
- fresh spinach or kale2 cup
- kosher saltto taste
Method
- 01
Melt the red palm oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over the lowest possible heat until just warm, then turn off the heat entirely.
Stir the freshly ground ogbono powder vigorously into the warm oil until it forms a completely smooth, lump-free paste, taking care not to fry the seeds.
- 02
Turn the heat to medium-low and gradually whisk in the piping hot stock a half cup at a time.
Whisk continuously so the ogbono absorbs the liquid evenly and swells into a thick, elastic consistency.
- 03
Stir in the minced onion, ground crayfish, rinsed iru, Cameroon pepper, and crushed bouillon cubes.
- 04
Add the de-boned smoked fish chunks, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook completely uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Never cover the pot, as trapped condensation will drip back into the viscous soup and permanently break the draw.
- 05
Fold in the raw shrimp and chopped greens during the final five minutes of cooking.
Let the shrimp poach until just pink and the greens wilt slightly, then remove from the heat and serve immediately with your favorite swallow.
From Cook Nigerian in America.