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    Home » Nigerian soup recipes » Classic Ogbono Soup

    Published: Jun 20, 2015 · Modified: Aug 21, 2019 by Ajoke

    Classic Ogbono Soup

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Ogbono soup (ogbolo/apon) is one of my go-to Nigerian soups recipe I I turn to when I’m running out of time and I need to cook something yet appetising. Ogbono is another popular soup in Nigeria and it is cooked differently in every household, it can be mixed with different vegetables too. With this recipe, you are guaranteed an easy way to make ogbono soup.An angled photograph of ogbono soup loaded with mackerel, stock fish and ponmo

    For this ogbono soup recipe, I have made it as simple as I can and this method always works for me all the time, I stopped mixing ground ogbono with palm oil before cooking after I learned how to cook yoyo soup.

    If you don’t know your onions with making this soup, you might end up with some sharp strange taste and unpleasant colour. Like I mentioned earlier, I have used this method many times for my ogbono soup and it has never failed.

    angled overhead shot of ogbono soup loaded with fried mackerel, panla and ponmo

    Ingredients

    120g ground ogbono (African bush mango seed also called apon)

    Few pieces of assorted meat

    Dried hake (panla/oporoko)

    ⅓ cup palm oil

    Ground crayfish

    Cayenne pepper

    Beef bouillon cube

    onion

    Fried mackerel

    Dried utazi leaves

    2-3 cups of stock and water (use half and half)

    image of smoked mackerel, cooked shaki, bokoto and panla on a white plate

    How to make Ogbono soup

    Notes:

    • If you are using assorted beef like liver and lungs, parboil for about 5-8 minutes. Decant the water, rinse the assorted meat to get rid of scum and then return it to the pan before bringing to boil with seasoning, onion and salt till tender
    • Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, seasoning and salt till tender.
    • Use freshly ground ogbono powder, it only takes a few minutes to blend. Store leftover ogbono powder in the freezer.
    • I always drain my stock as I like it dirt free. It makes the soup better and more appealing to the eyes

    image of ogbono seed and ground ogbono

    To cook ogbono

    On medium-high heat, place a pan containing the stock, assorted beef and panla, add palm oil and cayenne pepper and bring to boil for another 5-10 minutes till all is well combined.

    Stir the ogbono into the sauce bit by bit and stir briskly to avoid the ogbono clumping up. The ogbono starts to thicken and draws as you stir.

    I'm sorry I missed taking the picture of this bit as I was busy filming with my phone.

    Check for salt and seasoning. I didn't use any in making the soup other than the one I used in boiling the fish and meat

    Add crayfish and stir to combine, add fried fish and stir together. (Add more water to soup if need be)

    Sprinkle utazi leaves on soup sparingly and stir to combine. (utazi is bitter so use carefully) Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat and serve with swallow of choice.

    cooking process shot

    There you have it. Easy and straight forward.

    How about trying oatmeal swallow with your ogbono soup. It is totally awesome.

    Other amazing Nigerian soup recipes you should try

    Plain Okra Soup

    Egusi Soup

    Efo Riro 

    Edikang Ikong

    Egusi Elefo Meta

    how to cook ogbono soup
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    Ogbono Soup

    Ogbono soup is one of my go-to soups when I’m running out of time and I need to cook something yet appetising. Ogbono is another popular soup in Nigeria. This soup is delicious especially when loaded with stockfish and assorted meat
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: African, Nigerian
    Keyword: How to make ogbono soup, Ogbono recipe, Ogbono soup
    Servings: 6
    Author: Ajoke| My Active Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 120 g ground ogbono African bush mango seed also called apon
    • Few pieces of assorted meat
    • Dried hake 2 medium steak (panla/oporoko)
    • ⅓ Csp palm oil
    • 1 tbsp Ground crayfish use more if desired
    • Cayenne pepper use according to preference
    • Fried or grilled Mackerel about 4 steaks
    • Dried utazi leaves see note
    • 2-3 cups of stock and water use half and half

    Instructions

    How to Boil Meat

    • Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, bouillon cube and salt till tender. Separate the meat from the stock and drain the stock so its dirt free. Return the stock and meat back into the pan.
    • On medium-high heat, place a pan containing the stock, assorted beef and panla, add palm, cayenne pepper and bring to boil for another 10 minutes till all is well combined.
    • Stir the ground ogbono into the sauce bit by bit and stir briskly to avoid the ogbono clumping up. The ogbono starts to thicken and draws as you stir.
    • Check for salt and seasoning. I didn’t use any in making the soup other than the one I used in boiling the stockfish and meat
    • Add crayfish and stir to combine, add fried fish and stir together. (Add more water to soup if need be)
    • Sprinkle utazi leave on soup sparingly and stir to combine. (utazi is bitter so use carefully) Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Take off the heat and serve with a swallow of choice. 

    Notes

    Tips for making the best ogbono soup

    • If you are using assorted beef like liver and lungs, parboil for about 5-8 minutes. Decant the water, rinse the assorted meat to get rid of scum and then return it to the pan before bringing to boil with seasoning, onion and salt till tender
    • Boil stockfish with beef if you want or you can cook separately with small onions, seasoning and salt till tender.
    • Use freshly ground ogbono powder, it only takes a few minutes to blend. Store leftover ogbono powder in the freezer.
    • I always drain my stock as I like it dirt free. It makes the soup better and more appealing to the eyes

    nigerian oatmeal swallow and soup.

    If you made this recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest

    Enjoy.x

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Benazir khan says

      May 13, 2016 at 5:42 pm

      I buy the seeds and use my steel mortar and pestle to grind them too when I need it I even buy whole spices where I can grind myself when I need it

      Reply
    2. enilesor Awiyumaf says

      June 20, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      Nice soup...
      Oatmeal...an alternative to Eba,Avalanche or Semovita...

      Always blend my Oat...to make d Oatmeal

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        October 22, 2015 at 10:35 pm

        Thanks a lot Enilesor

        Reply
    3. Sisi Jemimah says

      June 20, 2015 at 12:50 pm

      You make it seem so easy, will definitely try out the oatmeal swallow......

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        October 22, 2015 at 10:37 pm

        You should try it with oatmeal swallow, you will be won over

        Reply
    4. jones says

      June 20, 2015 at 2:05 am

      Oatmala is what I call it. Would love to try this lovely combo. Very well done.

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        October 22, 2015 at 10:37 pm

        I will try out your combo. thanks for stopping by

        Reply

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    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

    More about me →

    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

    More about me →

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