How to prepare this typical Igbo Ogbono-Egusi soup combo special
This 2-in-1 combo is a popular order by mostly igbos at restaurants. Most of the time restaurants don’t make them together but here is a guide on how to cook it together from scratch.
Cooking time
1 hour
Recipe category
Main meal
Recipe cuisine
Local
Cooking method
Stewing
Recipe Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
Beef
Stock fish
Shaki
Ground Egusi
Ground Ogbono
Bitter leaf
Palm oil
Crayfish
Pepper
Salt
Instructions
1. Wash and pour the beef, shaki and stockfish inside a big pot and cook with the necessary ingredients till it’s soft enough to bite. Debone the stockfish and set it aside.
2. Split the meat stock into two separate pots while you add water in both with the egusi pot getting more water.
3. Put both pots on medium heat but makes sure the ogbono is cooked before the egusi.
4. When they’ve been brought to a boil, reduce the heat and add a cooking spoon of palm oil into the ogbono pot then add the ground ogbono and stir. Keep stirring till combined well and make sure there are no lumps. Cover the pot and cook on low to medium heat for 20 minutes and stir at intervals.
5. In the egusi pot, add crayfish and ground egusi. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t burn. Add water if too thick.
6. Add palm oil to give the egusi to give it its signature yellow colour and then add the bitter leaves. Cover and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
7. After 20 minutes of cooking both, pour the ogbono into the pot of egusi. Add salt, pepper and the meats and fish. Stir well and cover to cook.
8. Once the soup heats up again, you know your soup is ready.
Serve with any swallow of your choice.