Torborgee

Name: Torborgee
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Liberian
Ingredients: 300g fermented fish (bony); 200g dried shrimp; 200g smoked catfish; 1 cup palm oil; 4 bitter balls (African eggplant), chopped; 2 large onions, chopped; 3 scotch bonnet peppers; 2 cups potato leaves, chopped; 2 bouillon cubes; Salt to taste; 4 cups water

Torborgee (tor-BOR-gee)

Fermented Seafood Soup

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 392 kcal

A pungent, intensely flavoured soup made from fermented seafood, bitterball, and country spices — an acquired taste beloved by Liberians.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 28.0g

Carbs 16.0g

Fat 24.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ fish ⚠ shellfish

Equipment Needed

large pot blender wooden spoon

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep bowl

Garnishes: palm oil drizzle

Accompaniments: fufu, rice, dumboy

Ingredients

300g fermented fish (bony)
200g dried shrimp
200g smoked catfish
1 cup palm oil
4 bitter balls (African eggplant), chopped
2 large onions, chopped
3 scotch bonnet peppers
2 cups potato leaves, chopped
2 bouillon cubes
Salt to taste
4 cups water

Instructions

1
Boil fermented fish in water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse to reduce extreme pungency.
2
Heat palm oil, sauté onions. Add all seafood and cook 10 minutes.
3
Add bitter balls, peppers, and bouillon. Add water and bring to a boil.
4
Simmer 30 minutes until bitter balls are tender and soup is thick.
5
Add potato leaves in the last 5 minutes. Season and serve with fufu or rice.

💡

Did You Know?

Torborgee is so pungent that Liberians joke you should warn the neighbours before cooking it — but those who love it would eat nothing else.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large pot
blender
wooden spoon

Garnishing

palm oil drizzle

Accompaniments

fufu, rice, dumboy

The Story Behind Torborgee

Torborgee is one of Liberia's most traditional dishes, originating from coastal communities who fermented excess catch as preservation. The bold, funky flavour is a defining taste of Liberian identity that connects modern cooks to ancestral foodways.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed lunch or dinner, special occasions 📜 Origins: Indigenous Liberian tradition

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