Brandon Ndife’s Soul-Satisfying Soup

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Image courtesy of Brandon Ndife.

In Nigeria, cassava is a welcome and familiar sight. The starchy root vegetable grows virtually everywhere, and carts of it are wheeled about the city. Also known as yuca in South America, in West Africa it is most commonly found fermented, puréed, and mashed into a sticky meal called fufu. For Brandon Ndife, nothing pairs better with fufu than a bowl of ogbono soup. The New York-based artist—whose works have been exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Wesleyan University, and Matthew Brown Gallery, Los Angeles among others—finds comfort in the hearty dish that he likens to a big bouillabaisse. Ndife recommends the stew to be eaten using hands in tandem with fufu. 

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Ingredients

• 1 cup blended ogbono (or wild mango seed)
• 4 cups stock beef or chicken 
• Meat tripe, cow skin, or fish of choice
• 1 cup fish stock
• Salt to taste
• 2 stock cubes
• ½ tablespoons red chili flakes or cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground crayfish
• Ugwu, kale, or collard greens
• ¾ cup periwinkle
• ⅓ cup palm oil

Instructions

1. In a large pan, season meat or chicken with salt, maggi, and onions and boil until tender, depending on the choice of meat. You should have about 3 cups of stock from the meat and smoked fish (if using any). Reserve the rest or freeze it.
2. While the protein is cooking, slice the tomatoes and onions and mince the garlic.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions. Sauté the onion until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, garlic, and crayfish. Add the chicken or beef pieces and press down to submerge. Next, add ground egusi with chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
5. Add bitter leaf, followed by spinach, and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.
6.  Serve warm with fufu or accompaniment of choice.