Ogiri Igbo – Traditional Fermented Seed Seasoning

Ogiri Igbo

Fermented seed paste, and one of the oldest seasonings in Igbo cooking. Long before anybody had a stock cube, this is what gave soup its depth.

The seeds are boiled, wrapped and left to ferment until they break down into a soft dark paste with a smell that announces itself the moment you open the container. That smell is the point. It cooks off entirely.

How to use it

1. A teaspoon is plenty for a family pot. Ogiri is a background note, not a main flavour.
2. Dissolve it in a little warm stock first so it spreads through the pot instead of sitting in one lump.
3. Add it early with the meat and stock so it has time to melt in.

What it goes into

• Ofe onugbu, bitterleaf soup, where it is close to compulsory
• Egusi, ogbono and oha
• Ora and other long-cooked village soups
• Anywhere a soup tastes thin and you cannot work out why

Ogiri, okpeyi or iru

People mix these up. Ogiri Igbo is soft and paste-like. Okpeyi is firmer and comes in pieces. Iru is the Yoruba locust bean version and is milder. They are cousins, not substitutes, and swapping one for another changes the soup.

Product details

• Also known as: ogiri, ogiri Igbo, ogili
• Size: 6.15oz
• Storage: Keep sealed and refrigerate after opening. A jar with a tight lid, unless you want the whole fridge involved.

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