Fermented African oil bean seeds — sliced thin, deeply flavored, and loaded with protein. The ancestral fermented food of the Igbo people.
Ugba appears at every major Igbo life event. In the diaspora it is available in African grocery stores in major US cities. Its sharp, pungent flavor signals authenticity in Igbo cooking.
Fermentation of ugba dramatically increases bioavailability of all nutrients — phytic acid that blocks mineral absorption in raw legumes is degraded by fermenting bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bacillus). Zinc absorption increases 40-60% post-fermentation. Also produces short-chain fatty acids that feed beneficial gut bacteria. High lysine content makes ugba a complete protein complement to cassava and yam. Traditionally given during pregnancy and to growing children for protein.
Available sliced in specialty African grocery stores. Used raw in salads (with garden egg, crayfish, palm oil), added to soups at the end of cooking, or eaten as a snack. Do not overcook — fermented flavor and texture degrade with prolonged heat.
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