Ogiri in English has no true name of its own; it's usually described as a fermented seed paste, and in Nigeria that seed is mostly egusi melon or castor oil seed. Cooks use a small amount to season soups. It isn't locust beans: those make iru, or dawadawa, a different condiment that people mix up with ogiri all the time.
The first time you unwrap ogiri, the smell takes over the kitchen. Stir a teaspoon into oha soup or ofe onugbu, though, and it turns into a deep, savoury background note that you only really notice when it's missing. Here's what ogiri is made from, how the traditional versions are made, how it differs from iru, and which AFN recipes use it.
What is ogiri called in English?
There's no single English word for ogiri, so people describe it instead: fermented melon seed, fermented castor seed, or a fermented oil seed seasoning. The Wikipedia entry on ogiri says it's traditionally made by fermenting egusi, and that other oil seeds, among them sesame, castor beans and fluted pumpkin seeds, are used less often.
You'll often read online that ogiri is called locust beans in English. That isn't right. Locust beans come from the Parkia biglobosa tree, and they're fermented into iru, which Hausa speakers call dawadawa or daddawa. Ogiri and iru do a similar job in the pot, which is where the confusion starts, but they begin life as different seeds.
What is ogiri made from?
Nigerian sources point to two main seeds. Ogiri made from egusi melon seeds is the version Yoruba cooks know best, and researchers at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, describe ogiri as fermented melon seed (Citrullus vulgaris) in their study of it. Ogiri Igbo, the one most Igbo soups call for, is made from castor oil seeds, and a study of fermented castor seed names the finished condiment ogiri Igbo.
Other seeds turn up as well. Sesame, fluted pumpkin seed and watermelon seed have all been used, and the Igala and Idoma make a related seasoning called okpei (also written okpehe or okpiye). So if you've seen it said that traditional ogiri is made only from sesame seeds, treat that as one version among several. It isn't the one Nigerian sources describe first.
How is ogiri made traditionally?
Methods change from family to family, but the outline stays the same. For melon seed ogiri, the seeds are boiled until very soft, wrapped tightly in leaves (banana leaves in many kitchens) and left to ferment in a clay pot for about five days. The fermented seeds are then smoked for around two hours and mashed into an oily, grey paste.
Ogiri Igbo follows the same pattern with castor seeds and usually ferments for three to five days. The castor seed study above followed a longer process: the seeds were dehulled, boiled in banana leaves for six to eight hours and fermented for four to six days, then ground with ash from palm bunches, and the paste was wrapped in small leaf parcels. The longer it ferments, the stronger the smell and the flavour.
A warning if you're tempted to make ogiri Igbo yourself. Raw castor seeds contain ricin, a poison, and the CDC says chewing and swallowing castor beans can cause injury. Ogiri Igbo has a long history in Igbo kitchens, but starting from raw seed isn't a weekend kitchen project, so buy it ready-made from someone who produces it. Markets carry it: a 2017 Ahmadu Bello University study bought its ogiri samples at Abagana Central Market in Anambra State.
What does ogiri taste and smell like?
Ogiri smells strong and pungent, and it's often compared to ripe cheese, miso or stinky tofu. The paste itself is oily and grey, and a little of it seasons a whole pot.
The smell is what puts people off, and it fades as the soup cooks. It's also much easier to live with once frozen, so keep it wrapped tightly in the freezer between uses.
Ogiri vs iru: what's the difference?
Both are fermented seasonings, both smell strong, and both go into West African soups in small amounts. The seed is what separates them.
| Ogiri | Iru | |
|---|---|---|
| Made from | Oil seeds, mainly egusi melon or castor seed | Locust beans (Parkia biglobosa), sometimes soybeans |
| Other names | Ogiri Igbo, ogiri isi, eragiri | Dawadawa and daddawa (Hausa), eware (Edo) |
| Where you'll meet it on AFN | Oha soup, bitter leaf soup, Igbo yam porridge | Ofada stew, okro soup, ila alasepo |
In a few dishes they're treated as interchangeable. Our African salad (abacha and ugba) recipe asks for ogiri or iru, so use whichever you have. The two taste different, though, so where a recipe names one, start with that one.
How is ogiri used in cooking?
Ogiri goes in as a seasoning, not a main ingredient, and a little covers a whole pot. It's added while the soup cooks so the smell softens and the savoury flavour spreads through. Igbo cooks use it in ofe onugbu and ofe oha, and it also seasons beans, yam porridge, vegetables and stews.
Quantities vary more than you'd expect. Our oha soup takes a tablespoon of ogiri Igbo, our bitter leaf soup takes a teaspoon, and our Igbo yam porridge reminds you that ogiri is powerful, so start small and add more once you've tasted.
AFN recipes that use ogiri
Oha soup
Oha leaves, cocoyam to thicken, crayfish and a tablespoon of ogiri Igbo stirred in with the palm oil. Get the oha soup recipe.
Bitter leaf soup (ofe onugbu)
Well-washed bitter leaf, cocoyam and assorted meat and fish, with a teaspoon of ogiri Igbo. Get the bitter leaf soup (ofe onugbu) recipe.
African salad (abacha and ugba)
Shredded dried cassava and sliced fermented oil bean folded into a palm oil and potash paste, with crayfish, utazi and ogiri or iru. Get the African salad (abacha and ugba) recipe.
Igbo yam porridge
Yam simmered with palm oil, crayfish, uziza leaves and ground ogiri. Get the Igbo yam porridge recipe.
Ogiri benefits: is it good for you?
You eat ogiri by the teaspoon, so it seasons a meal more than it feeds you. Still, a study comparing Nigerian fermented condiments found ogiri had more calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron than okpeyi and dawadawa, and the most vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamins B1 and B2. It was also highest in sodium, which is worth knowing if you're watching your salt.
You'll find claims online that ogiri controls diabetes, treats stroke or lowers blood pressure. We couldn't find good evidence for any of them, so we've left them out.
Ogiri questions
What is ogiri called in Yoruba?
Ogiri is itself a Yoruba word (Ògìrì), and the condiment is also called eragiri. Don't confuse it with iru, the Yoruba name for fermented locust beans.
What is ogiri Igbo in English?
Fermented castor seed, or castor oil seed paste. There's no shorter English name for it.
Is ogiri the same as dawadawa?
No. Dawadawa is the Hausa name for fermented locust beans, which is iru. Ogiri is made from oil seeds such as melon or castor seed.
Can I use iru instead of ogiri?
In some dishes, yes. Our African salad recipe takes either one. They don't taste the same, so where a recipe names ogiri, that's the one to reach for first.
How do I store ogiri?
Keep it tightly wrapped and frozen. The cold keeps the smell down, and you can cut off what you need for each pot.
Buying ogiri on Rye Lane is always an event sha. I have to wrap it in three freezer bags before putting it in my handbag, otherwise everyone on the 36 bus will be looking at me sideways. But you really cannot make proper oha or bitterleaf soup without that castor seed funk, no stock cube can replace it.
The triple-bagging ritual is so real. I have to wrap my fermenting teff batter in three layers of plastic before driving back from the market here in Seattle, or my whole car smells for a week. But you are completely right, that deep, wild fermentation gives a depth that no stock cube or shortcut can ever replicate.
You should have mentioned the difference between ogiri igbo made from castor seeds and ogiri okpei from egusi o. If you use okpei inside oha soup instead of the soft wrapped castor seed one, the taste will be completely different. That heavy smell when you open the leaves is how you know the soup will sweet!
Very interesting ingredient, we don't have anything quite like fermented castor seeds in Cape Malay cooking. Is the fermentation process just done naturally with heat and leaves, or do they add salt to draw out the moisture? Always looking for deep savory plant-based flavors that are strictly halal.
That intense fermented smell description reminds me of how my uncle reacts to heavy fish paste or dried snoek! Sounds like a serious umami booster though. Wonder if a tiny bit of this castor seed paste would work deep inside a slow-cooked beef potjie, or if the funk is too strong for red meat?