Efo Igba
Garden Egg Leaf Soup with Smoked Fish and Assorted Meats
Yes, with a tweak: ensure no fufu, garri, pounded yam, or any other starchy swallow is served. About 8g net carbs per serving, lower than 5 in 10 Nigerian dishes.
What it is
A flavorful and nutritious soup made primarily with garden egg leaves, smoked fish, and assorted meats. It's often thickened with ground egusi (melon seeds) or just cooked down, offering a unique bitter-sweet taste profile. Distinct from garden egg fruit stews.
Key ingredients
Garden egg leaves, assorted meats (beef, goat, pomo), smoked fish (mackerel, catfish), crayfish, red palm oil, onions, habanero peppers, seasoning cubes, salt, (optional: ground egusi/melon seeds for thickening).
How to make it keto
Ensure no fufu, garri, pounded yam, or any other starchy swallow is served. Confirm no cocoyam paste or other high-carb thickeners are used if egusi is omitted.
Watch out for
Hidden sugars in seasoning cubes. If egusi is used, it adds some carbs, but is generally keto-friendly. Ensure no flour is used as a thickener.
Macros are estimates for a typical serving and vary by restaurant. Confirm ingredients with staff, especially if you have allergies. Our ingredient lists are generated automatically and describe how a dish is typically made.
More on the Nigerian menuAll 458 Nigerian dishes ›
