Ogbono soup

Ogbono soup is a thick soup of the Igbo and other southern Nigerian peoples, made by thickening a broth with ground ogbono (wild mango) seeds. It is eaten by hand with a starchy swallow, not with a spoon.

What it really is

The base is ground ogbono seeds (from Irvingia gabonensis), which are dried, shelled and milled into a powder. The powder is stirred into a simmering broth of water or stock with palm oil, crayfish, ground dried fish or smoked fish, beef or goat meat, and stockfish, plus pepper and salt. The soup is cooked until the seed thickens it into a smooth, stringy, mucilaginous texture. Some cooks add leafy vegetables such as bitter leaf, spinach or utazi near the end.

Ogbono soup is distinct from okra soup and egusi soup, which look similar in a bowl. Okra soup is thickened by sliced okra pods, and egusi soup is thickened by ground melon seeds that are fried and form a grainy texture rather than a slippery one. Ogbono has a characteristic slipperiness that is the mark of the dish.

How it's served

• Served hot in a bowl as a main course with a swallow such as pounded yam, eba, fufu or semovita.
• Eaten by tearing off a piece of swallow, shaping it with the fingers, and dipping it into the soup.
• Often served at family meals and celebrations alongside other Nigerian soups and stews.
• Accompanied by a cold drink or water; the soup is not usually eaten with rice or bread.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient as ogbono (wild mango seed) soup, and list the proteins used, such as beef, goat meat or stockfish.
• State that the soup contains fish and crayfish (crustaceans) where ground dried fish or crayfish is used.
• State the swallow served with it, such as pounded yam, eba or fufu, and whether it is made from cassava, yam or maize.
• Note the spice level and whether pepper is added, as the classic version is seasoned with fresh and ground chilli.