Ugba, Ogiri, Iru and Okpeyi: A Guide to Nigerian Fermented Ingredients

There is a moment when someone new to Nigerian cooking opens a container of ogiri and questions several of their life decisions.

Stay with it. These four ingredients are the difference between soup that tastes correct and soup that tastes almost correct, and almost correct is the most frustrating outcome in cooking.

Why fermented ingredients exist at all

Long before anybody had a stock cube, West African cooks needed depth. Fermentation was the answer. Seeds and beans were boiled, wrapped in leaves and left until bacteria broke the proteins down into the savoury compounds we now call umami.

It is the same principle behind fish sauce, miso, anchovies and blue cheese. Every food culture that lasted found its own version. These are ours.

And yes, they smell strong on opening. That smell almost entirely disappears in cooking. What stays behind is depth.

The four

Ugba, also called ukpaka

Ugba is fermented African oil bean seed, boiled, sliced thin and left to ferment until it darkens.

Unlike the other three, ugba is not a background seasoning. It is an ingredient you see and chew, with a firm bite and a pungent, faintly cheesy savour.

Where it belongs: abacha, above all. Abacha without ugba is just wet cassava. Also nkwobi, isi ewu, ofe ugba, and ugba na okporoko with stockfish.

How to use it: rinse briefly, drain well, and add near the end. It does not want long heat.

Ogiri Igbo

Ogiri is a soft, dark fermented seed paste, and one of the oldest seasonings in Igbo cooking.

It is the strongest smelling of the four and the one that most alarms newcomers. It is also the one that most transforms a pot.

Where it belongs: ofe onugbu (bitterleaf soup), where it is close to compulsory. Also egusi, ogbono, oha and ora.

How to use it: a teaspoon for a family pot. Dissolve it in a little warm stock first so it spreads instead of sitting in one lump. Add early.

Ogiri okpeyi

Okpeyi, also called okpehe, is firmer than ogiri and comes in pieces rather than as a paste. Used across Igbo and Middle Belt kitchens.

Where it belongs: bitterleaf, egusi, ogbono, oha, nsala and most long-cooked village soups.

How to use it: crush between your fingers or dissolve in warm water. A teaspoon is plenty. Add early with the stock.

Iru, also called dawadawa

Iru is fermented African locust bean. Yoruba kitchens call it iru, northern Nigeria and Ghana call it dawadawa. Dark, soft, sticky and the mildest of the four.

Where it belongs: efo riro, where it is essential. Also ewedu, gbegiri, ofada sauce, ayamase and most buka-style stews.

How to use it: add early with the pepper base and let it fry down into the oil. A tablespoon for a family pot.

Can you substitute one for another?

Not really, and this is worth understanding rather than just being told.

They are made from different seeds and fermented differently, so they land in different places. Ogiri is the most pungent and dissolves completely. Okpeyi is firmer and slightly milder. Iru is mildest and sweetest, and it fries rather than dissolves. Ugba is not a seasoning at all, it is a component.

In a pinch, okpeyi and ogiri will cover for each other. Iru in place of ogiri gives you a recognisably Yoruba version of an Igbo soup, which is fine as long as you know that is what you have done. Ugba substitutes for nothing.

Storing them without upsetting your household

This is a practical concern and there is no point pretending otherwise.

• Double-wrap, then use a jar with a proper seal. A screw-top glass jar inside the fridge handles it. A thin plastic bag does not.
• Refrigerate ogiri, okpeyi and iru once opened.
• Freeze iru in small portions and take out what you need. It freezes very well.
• Ugba keeps sealed in a cool dry place, or refrigerate to extend it.

If you are starting from scratch

Buy one, not all four.

If you cook Igbo soups, start with ogiri or okpeyi. If you cook Yoruba, start with iru. If you want to make abacha, you need ugba and nothing else will do.

Use half what you think, taste the pot, and go from there. These ingredients are supposed to sit underneath the food rather than on top of it. When you get the amount right, nobody tastes ogiri. They just say the soup tastes like their mother's.

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