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Ogiri-Spiced Cowpea Soup

Also known as Ogiri-Spiced Cowpea Soup (Digestive Health)

Ogiri-Spiced Cowpea Soup celebrates ogiri okpei — the fermented castor seed condiment used in Igbo cooking — as a source of beneficial fermented compounds for gut health. Ogiri is a traditional fermented food similar in character to Japanese natto or Korean doenjang — its fermentation process produces beneficial bacteria, bioavailable proteins and compounds that support digestive health.

Ogiri-Spiced Cowpea Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 big cups of cowpeas (black-eyed peas), soaked overnight
  • 1 tablespoon of ogiri okpei (fermented castor seed) — the central therapeutic ingredient
  • 3 big ripe tomatoes, blended
  • 2 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 2 cooking spoons of palm oil
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 1 big handful of smoked fish, soaked and deboned
  • 1 big handful of stockfish, soaked
  • 3 big handfuls of fresh ugwu or spinach leaves, chopped
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 glasses of water

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Cowpeas. Drain soaked cowpeas. Boil in fresh water for 35 to 45 minutes until completely soft but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid.

  2. 02

    Frying the Ogiri Base. Heat palm oil in a wide pot. Add ogiri okpei and fry for 2 minutes — it will release a deep, pungent, complex fermented aroma that is the signature of Igbo cooking. Add sliced onion and fry 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes and Atarodo. Fry vigorously for 15 minutes until deeply cooked and oil floats on top.

  3. 03

    Building the Soup. Add the cooked cowpeas. Add smoked fish, stockfish and ground crayfish. Add seasoning cubes and salt. Add 4 glasses of water (use the reserved cowpea cooking liquid for extra flavour). Bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until everything is well-combined and deeply flavoured.

  4. 04

    Adding Vegetables and Finishing. Add chopped ugwu or spinach. Stir through. Cook 5 minutes. Taste and adjust — the soup should be complex, slightly pungent from the ogiri, deeply savoury from the crayfish and well-rounded. Serve hot.

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