What it is
Ogbono Soup is made from ground ogbono seeds (wild mango or African bush mango kernels), which give the soup a thick, glossy, slightly stretchy texture when cooked. It is typically prepared with palm oil, meat, fish and leafy vegetables, and is one of the most widely eaten soups in southern and central Nigeria.
Key ingredients
- ground ogbono seeds
- palm oil
- meat
- fish
- ground crayfish
- leafy vegetable (often ugu or bitterleaf)
- onions
- pepper
A list of what goes in, not a recipe. Quantities and method vary by household.
How it is eaten
Ogbono Soup is eaten with pounded yam, garri, fufu or semovita, taken by hand and dipped into the soup because of its characteristic draw. It is served as an everyday family meal across many households in the south and Middle Belt.
Cultural significance
Ogbono Soup is eaten across much of southern and central Nigeria and is not the preserve of any one ethnic group; it is prepared with local variations by Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, Delta and other communities wherever ogbono seeds are used. It is a common household soup rather than one linked to a specific ceremony.
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