Ogbono Soup (Draw Soup)

Ogbono soup (Draw Soup) is a rich, nutrition-packed Nigerian soup made from ogbono seeds (ground African mango seeds), palm oil, assorted meats, and traditional spices. It packs a lot of bold and rich flavors and is incredibly delicious!

Ogbono soup is commonly eaten with fufu dishes like pounded yam or eba. It is called 'Draw Soup' due to its mucilaginous nature, which gives it a slippery and viscous texture.

Due to its texture, it might take some getting used to, but once you taste it, it really does taste amazing, and it makes your fufu go down easily!

What is Ogbono?

Ogbono seeds are part of a fruit called Irvingia gabonensis, also known as African mango, wild mango, bush mango, or dika. It is indigenous to parts of Central and West Africa as well as Southeast Asia. While the whole fruit is edible, only the seeds are used in making ogbono soup.

Health benefits of ogbono soup

Ogbono soup is very nutritious and filled with vital nutrients and minerals. African mango is well known for its health benefits and is a good source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Research has shown that bush mango seeds can:

• Help stabilize blood sugar levels.
• Aid in weight loss.
• Reduce high blood pressure.
• Help lower cholesterol levels.

African mango is becoming increasingly popular, and there are products sold and hyped online as weight-loss supplements. I would recommend eating and enjoying the delicious soup to get the full benefit instead of taking supplements. But that is just my opinion.

Ingredients Used

• Ogbono seeds: This is the heart of this dish and what provides its distinct flavor and texture.
• Palm Oil: This is a staple in most West African soups, and it gives the soup a pleasant, rich taste.
• Spices: Bouillon powder (or maggi cubes), ground crayfish, cayenne pepper, salt.
• Meat stock: This adds an infusion of flavor to the dish. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute it with water, but you will have to increase the salt and other spices used.
• Meats: Ogbono soup is cooked with a variety of meats, often referred to as ‘assorted meat’. I used beef, shaki (tripe), and cow feet for this recipe. The shaki was already cleaned, so that saved me some work. Feel free to use your favorite meat for this recipe.
• Optional: Spinach or any leafy green.

Preparation

1. Some preparation is required depending on the type of meat you want to include. Ogbono soup is made with a variety of meats, but you can pick and choose what you want to use.
2. For instance, if you’re going to include cow skin, you have to clean and boil it ahead of time, as it can take up to 2 hours to soften.
3. Cook all the meat you want to use with salt, pepper, onions, and bouillon powder until tender. The time will vary depending on what you want to include. At a minimum, beef or goat meat should be included (cooking time will be added to this recipe).
4. If you want to use leafy greens like spinach, chop them up and set them aside.
5. If you buy whole ogbono seeds, grind them using a mortar and pestle set or a coffee grinder. You can also buy them pre-ground and prepackaged, which might make things go faster. However, if you grind them yourself, they're fresher and taste a whole lot better.
6. When the assorted meats are ready, drain them but save some of the stock so you can use it to flavor the ogbono soup.

How to Cook Ogbono Soup

1. Pour palm oil into a large pot and add the ground ogbono seeds. Make sure the pot is on low heat so the palm oil melts and does not heat up.
2. Mix in the ogbono seeds. If there are any lumps, use a serving spoon to break them down. Mix thoroughly with the palm oil till the ogbono seeds are completely coated.
3. Add the stock or water, one cup at a time, and stir until it begins to thicken and the texture becomes somewhat viscous (or begins to ‘draw,’ as we say in Nigeria).
4. You can add a bit more stock or water until you reach your desired consistency. Some like it really thick, and others like it less thick. Be careful not to add too much liquid, or the ogbono soup will become too thin and watery.
5. Once you reach your desired thickness, bring it to a boil, then set it to low heat and let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring intermittently.
6. Add in all the spices and pre-cooked meats. If it becomes too thick, add a little more water. Let simmer for 10 minutes more minutes. Add the chopped spinach and simmer on low for about two more minutes.
7. Serve ogbono soup with your favorite fufu dish, and enjoy!

How to Cook Ogbono Soup with Okra

For variety, you can add okra to this dish. Just follow the steps above, add chopped okra, and let it boil for 5 minutes before you add the spinach.

What can I eat ogbono soup with?

Ogbono soup is best served with fufu like eba, pounded yam, or amala. One a low carb diet, I like to eat this Nigerian Ogbono soup with one of my low carb fufu dishes.

Tips and Variations

• When you add the ogbono to the palm oil, make sure it’s on low heat and watch it carefully so it does not burn. If it burns, it will lose its texture.
• If you buy pre-ground ogbono seeds and they lose their freshness, the soup's texture might be off. Keep them in an airtight container, or better still, buy whole seeds and grind them when you need them.
• When adding the stock/water to the soup, add one cup and keep stirring until it gets thick and begins to get its mucilaginous texture. Then add more liquid very slowly, watching the texture carefully. The ogbono soup will start very thick but begin to thin out. Stop when you reach your desired consistency. If you add too much liquid, the soup will be watery.
• You can substitute spinach for pumpkin leaves, collard greens, or bitter leaf (a slightly bitter leafy vegetable commonly used in West African soups). You can also leave out the vegetables entirely if you wish.
• Use your favorite meat choice. Use whatever you have on hand; you don’t have to use what is listed. That’s the beauty of this soup; you can make it yours!

Frequently Asked Questions

Enjoy these other African soups and stews!

Egusi Soup

Efo Riro

Nigerian Stew

Okra Soup

Cow Foot Soup

📖 Recipe