Nigerian Vegetable Soup
Nigerian vegetable soup is a thick, leafy pot built on layers of smoked and dried fish, meat and palm oil. It is a staple of Igbo cooking that is now eaten across Nigeria. Stockfish, dryfish, kpomo, crayfish and ogili each add a different savory depth, while ugwu and waterleaf go in for only three minutes at the end, which keeps them tender. Scoop it up with fufu, eba or pounded yam.
Instructions
Set a pot over the heat and add the meat, chopped onions, a bouillon cube, the stockfish and salt to taste. Let everything cook together so the meat begins to take on flavor.
Blend the fresh bell pepper, ground crayfish and ogili into a smooth paste. Pour it into the pot, then rinse the blender with a little water and add that too so none of the paste is wasted. Cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the kpomo and palm oil to taste. Leave the pot to cook for 10 minutes.
Add the dryfish to the pot and stir it into the meat mixture.
Check that the liquid has reduced somewhat, since the soup should not be watery. Add the chopped ugwu and waterleaf and cook for just 3 minutes, so the leaves stay tender and do not overcook.
Taste the soup and adjust with more salt or bouillon if needed.
Serve hot with a swallow of your choice, such as fufu, eba or pounded yam.
Make it personal.
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