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Ugba na Ede

Also known as Ugba na Ede (Oil Bean with Cocoyam Soup)

Ofe Ugba na Ede is a deeply traditional Igbo soup that combines fermented ugba (oil bean seeds) with cocoyam in a palm oil and crayfish base. The fermented ugba contributes an extraordinary funky, complex, umami depth that is completely unique to this dish, while the cocoyam provides a neutral, starchy body that allows the ugba flavour to shine without competition.

Ugba na Ede, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big handfuls of ugba (fermented oil bean / ukpaka), sliced
  • 4 medium cocoyams (ede), boiled and pounded
  • A big handful of goat meat or beef
  • 2 big handfuls of stockfish, soaked
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked fish, soaked and deboned
  • 3 cooking spoons of red palm oil
  • 3 big handfuls of ground crayfish
  • 3 to 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 tablespoon of ogiri okpei
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • A small handful of uziza leaves, shredded

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Meat. Season and cook meat and stockfish in water with onion, salt and seasoning cube for 30 minutes. Reserve stock.

  2. 02

    Preparing the Cocoyam Thickener. Boil cocoyams until very soft. Pound in a mortar until a smooth, lump-free paste forms. Set aside.

  3. 03

    Building the Soup Base. Heat palm oil in a wide pot. Add ogiri and fry for 1 minute. Add reserved stock, blended Atarodo and ground crayfish. Add cooked meat and stockfish. Season with remaining seasoning cubes and salt. Bring to a simmer.

  4. 04

    Adding the Thickener. Add pounded cocoyam to the simmering soup in pieces, stirring after each addition. Cook for 10 minutes until fully dissolved and soup is smooth and moderately thick.

  5. 05

    Adding the Ugba. Add the sliced ugba and smoked fish. Stir through. Cook for 10 more minutes — the ugba will infuse its distinctive fermented flavour throughout the soup. Add uziza leaves in the final 3 minutes. Taste and adjust all seasonings. Serve hot.

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