Ogbono Soup with Beef and Spinach

Ingredients and method

About 4–6 servings with a starch (estimated)

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 US cups water for the beef, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, then more to taste
• 1 US cup finely ground ogbono, measured after grinding
• 1/3 US cup edible unrefined red palm oil
• 1 tablespoon ground dried Nigerian crayfish (crustacean shellfish)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 4 ounces fresh spinach, washed, drained and chopped

Method

1. Put the beef, onion, salt and 5 cups water in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then partly cover and simmer gently until the beef is fork-tender. Add water as necessary to keep the meat submerged. Chuck can require well over an hour.
2. Lift the beef out. Measure the cooking broth and top up with hot water to exactly 4 US cups. Reserve the beef and keep the broth hot.
3. In another dry, heavy pot, warm the red palm oil only enough to liquefy it, then remove from the heat. Stir the ground ogbono into the oil to form an even paste. Do not fry or toast this mixture.
4. Gradually whisk in the hot broth, beginning with a small splash and smoothing each addition before adding more. Return to low heat once the mixture is evenly combined.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring along the bottom frequently. It should become smooth, thick and stretchy when lifted from a spoon. Add hot water 2 tablespoons at a time if too stiff; do not let it catch on the pot.
6. Stir in crayfish, cayenne and the cooked beef. Simmer until the beef is hot throughout, then add spinach and cook just until wilted. Taste for salt. Serve with prepared eba, pounded yam or another swallow, allowing for a little further thickening as the soup stands.