Pounded Yam with Ogbono Soup
Creamy ogbono soup thickened with ground melon seeds, served alongside smooth pounded yam. A beloved Nigerian comfort dish ready in 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 22g
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds yam, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- ½ cup ground ogbono (melon seeds)
- 8 ounces mixed protein (shrimp, smoked fish, or beef, chopped)
- 2 cups spinach or bitter leaf, roughly chopped
- ½ medium onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons palm oil or olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with water until it reaches 2 inches above the yam chunks. Cover the pot and set it on high heat until you see large bubbles rolling across the surface, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2
While the water heats, pour 3 tablespoons of palm oil into a medium skillet over medium heat. Wait until the oil slides quickly when you tilt the pan and looks glossy, about 90 seconds.
- 3
Add the diced onion to the hot oil and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the pieces turn translucent and smell sweet, about 3 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the 0.5 cup of ground ogbono powder, mixing constantly until it coats the onion and the mixture smells earthy and toasted, about 1 minute.
- 5
Pour 2 cups of water into the skillet, stirring to dissolve any powder clinging to the sides. Bring to a simmer by maintaining medium heat until small bubbles appear steadily around the edge, about 2 minutes.
- 6
Once the pot of water boils, add the yam chunks and stir once. Boil uncovered over high heat until a fork passes easily through the largest piece, about 12–15 minutes.
- 7
Add the 8 ounces of chopped mixed protein to the simmering ogbono broth, stirring once. Simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes, until the protein turns opaque and cooked through.
- 8
Stir the 2 cups of chopped spinach into the ogbono broth in two batches, pushing each batch down with your spoon and waiting 30 seconds between batches until wilted.
- 9
When the yam is fork-tender, drain it in a colander and return it to the same pot without the cooking water.
- 10
Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, press and crush the warm yam against the side of the pot until it becomes a smooth, uniform paste with no large chunks, about 2–3 minutes.
- 11
Spoon a mound of pounded yam onto the center of each serving bowl, using the back of the spoon to shape it into a dome.
- 12
Ladle the ogbono soup with protein and greens around the yam, distributing the ingredients evenly so each spoonful has broth, vegetables, and protein.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot with lid
- medium skillet
- wooden spoon
- colander or fine-mesh strainer
- potato masher or wooden spoon for mashing
- serving bowls
- ladle
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