How to Prepare The Traditional Nigerian Ogbono Soup

Well hello there, I am using this medium once again to welcome those of you who are reading my post right now.
Are you a Nigerian who perhaps knows little or nothing about how to prepare local Nigerian delicacies or you are an indigene of another country but would like to know how to prepare some local African dishes? Then look no further because today, we would
be looking out how to prepare one of the favorites of Nigerians.

Ingredients Needed

1. Assorted Meat and Fish: Beef, Shaki (cow tripe), Dry Fish, Stock-fish
2. 2 handfuls Ogbono Seeds
3. 3 cooking spoons red palm oil
4. Vegetable: Frozen Spinach (you can also use Pumpkin leaves or even Bitter leaf)
5. 1 handful crayfish
6. Pepper and Salt (To taste)
7. 1 medium onion
8. 2 stock cubes (Maggi (seasoning)/Knorr)

Pre-Cooking Directions for Preparing Ogbono Soup:
Follow the following steps before cooking.

1. Grind the Ogbono seeds with a dry mill.
2. Cut the frozen spinach when it is not completely defrosted. Then when completely defrosted, squeeze out the excess water.
3. Cook the assorted meat with the stock cubes and onion. If you will use Shaki, remember to start cooking that first, then add beef when almost done.
4. Grind crayfish and pepper.
5. Boil some water and set aside.

The above instructions should be followed before the cooking proper.If you have followed me thus far, good job because we are half way to completion.

Cooking Directions for Ogbono Soup

1. Pour the palm oil into a clean dry stainless steel or aluminium pot. Set on the stove and melt the oil at low heat.Melt the oil only, do not allow it to heat up.
2. Once melted, turn off the heat and add the ground Ogbono.
3. Use your cooking spoon to dissolve the Ogbono in the oil.
4. When all the Ogbono powder has completely mixed with the oil, add the meat/fish stock (water from cooking the assorted meat and fish). Set the heat of your cooker to low and start stirring. You will notice the Ogbono start to thicken and draw.
   Keep stirring till the Ogbono has completely absorbed the meat stock.
5. Add a small quantity of the hot water and stir till the Ogbono has absorbed all the water. Repeat this process till you get a consistency that is shown in the video below.
6. Making sure that your heat is set to low, cover the pot and start cooking. Once it starts to simmer, stir every 2-3 minutes for 20 minutes.
7. So what you'll do is: every 3 minutes or so, open the pot, stir every well, scraping the Ogbono that sticks to the base of the pot, cover the pot and cook for another 3 minutes.
8. After 20 minutes, the Ogbono should be well cooked and you will start to perceive its nice aroma.
9. Add the assorted meat and fish, ground crayfish, salt and pepper to taste. The Ogbono may have become thicker from the cooking. If so, add a little bit more water and stir very well. Cover and cook till the contents of the pot is well heated up.
10. If you prefer your Ogbono Soup without vegetables, turn off the heat and serve but if you like to add a vegetable then keep reading :)
11. When the contents of the pot have heated up, add the vegetable of your choice preferably bitter-leaf . Stir very well, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes and serve with any of these if you like ( Fufu, Semovita, Pounded yam flour, Oatmeal etc) recipe.

I hope you have gotten an incite on how to prepare Nigerian Ogbono soup.Now there would be no more worries on how to entertain that your African spouse or friend in the kitchen department.

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