{{Short description|Pigeon pea soup}}{{Infobox food | name = Fio Fio | alternative_name = Agbugbù | type = Traditional Igbo dish | place_of_origin = South East (Nigeria) | region = Igbo people | served = Warm | main_ingredient = *Pigeon peas *Cocoyam *Yam *Palm oikl | minor_ingredient = *Onions *Ugba *Crayfish }}
'''Fio Fio''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=LL-Q33578 (ibo)-Newtrains-FioFio.wav}}) (Igbo: '''Agbugbù'''). it is a popular Igbo delicacy, especially from the South-Eastern part of Nigeria like Enugu State and Nsukka area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-29 |title=Achicha and Fio Fio Recipe (Authentic Nsukka Dish + Step-by-Step Guide) |url=https://thecuriouskitchen.blog/2025/12/29/achicha-and-fio-fio-dry-cocoyam-flakes-and-pigeon-peas-recipe/ |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=The Curious Kitchen — Homemade Food Recipes, Experiments & Stories |language=en-US}}</ref> The main ingredients are pigeon peas (the "fio fio" beans/legume, which are protein-rich), often combined with cocoyam in forms like achicha/dried cocoyam flakes or fresh), yam, palm oil, onions, pepper, crayfish, ugba(ukpaka/oil bean), scent leaves or utazi and sometimes dried fish or other proteins.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ekeigwe |first=Williams |date=2025-06-03 |title=Fio Fio: English Name, Health Benefits, and Traditional Recipes |url=https://naijahfresh.com/fio-fio-in-english-benefits/ |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=NaijahFresh |language=en-US}}</ref>
People commonly refer to it as "Agbugbu" or cook it as a thick, spicy, nutritious porridge that's usually eaten with yam, cocoyam, or on its own. It's hearty, filling, and considered a local "food for kings" in some descriptions because of its richness.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Onyeakagbu |first=Adaobi |date=2021-05-10 |title=Fio Fio: How to prepare this spicy traditional Enugu dish |url=https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/fio-fio-how-to-prepare-this-spicy-traditional-enugu-dish/2fl4v7v |access-date=2022-06-28 |newspaper=Pulse Nigeria|language=en}}</ref>
==Origin== The Pigeon pea soup originates from the southeastern Nigeria and is eaten with yam or cocoyam as a local delicacy popular in Enugu State.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2021-08-29 |title=How To Make Achicha And Fio-Fio |url=https://editor.guardian.ng/life/how-to-make-achicha-and-fio-fio/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-06-28 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
It is prepared with palm oil, dried fish, and ukpaka.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-31 |title=Fio Fio: How to prepare this spicy traditional Enugu dish |url=https://www.pulse.ng/story/fio-fio-how-to-prepare-this-spicy-traditional-enugu-dish-2024073120541574384 |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=Pulse Nigeria |language=en}}</ref>
==Overview== The other ingredients in making fio fio include scent leaf, crayfish, palm oil, and Ugba. Pigeon pea is cooked until soft and fried alongside achicha (cocoyam paste).<ref name=":0" /> Fio fio is popular among the Nsukka, Aguleri, Enugu, and communities around the Omambala area.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Udevi |first=Obiamaka Angela |date=2021-03-12 |title=Food Recipe: How To Make Fiofio |url=https://articles.connectnigeria.com/food-recipe-how-to-make-fiofio/ |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=Connectnigeria Articles |language=en-GB}}</ref>
While it is called fio fio or agbugbu in Igbo, it is also known as otili in Yoruba, aduwa in Hausa, gungo peas in Jamaica, and mbaazi in Kenya.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-28 |title=Fiofio Pigeon peas - The Pretend Chef |url=https://www.thepretendchef.com/fiofio-pigeon-peas/ |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=www.thepretendchef.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==See also== * Igbo cuisine * List of African cuisine * guinea pea
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Nigerian legume dishes Category:Igbo cuisine Category:Pigeon pea dishes
{{Nigeria-cuisine-stub}}