Marghi Special (Kifi kubakuba)
Overview
Marghi special is a fish and vegetable soup of the Margi people of north-eastern Nigeria. Freshwater fish, traditionally from Lake Chad, is cooked in a light broth soured with tamarind. Tomatoes, onion, sweet pepper and chilli are added with sorrel leaves, spinach and bean sprouts, and sometimes taro or other vegetables. The soup is fragrant with garlic and local herbs, which change with the recipe and the family. It is lighter and sourer than many Nigerian soups, and it can be eaten on its own or with pounded yam, tuwo or white rice.
History
The Margi, or Marghi, people live in the south of Borno State and the north of Adamawa State, near the Mandara Mountains and the Lake Chad basin, where fishing and farming have long gone hand in hand. In the Marghi language the dish is called kifi kubakuba. It became widely known in Nigeria under the name Marghi special, and it is served at cultural festivals and at restaurants that offer northern Nigerian food.
Main ingredients
Fish, tamarind, sorrel, spinach, tomato, bean sprouts. The soup is built on tamarind broth and is usually served hot. Diet: pescatarian; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Fish and seafood soups · Tomato soups · Spinach and greens soups · More soups from Nigeria
Recipe
Method
- 13 min
Fry the onion, garlic, pepper and chilli in the oil for 3 minutes.
- 210 min
Add the tomatoes and 1.2 l water and simmer for 10 minutes.
- 310 min
Strain in the tamarind water, add the fish and cook gently for 10 minutes.
- 43 min
Add the sorrel, spinach and bean sprouts and cook for 3 minutes.
- 5
Season and serve with tuwo, rice or on its own.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 5m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
