World Food and Wine
what people eat and drink worldwide

Egusi soup

A rich and hearty soup made from ground melon seeds, meat, fish, and vegetables.

Ingredients

2 c melon (egusi melon seeds, ground)
1 c cooking oil (palm oil)
1 lb meat (beef or goat meat, cut into chunks)
1⁄2 lb fish (dried fish, unsalted, bones or skin removed)
2 c greens (pumpkin leaves, spinach or other greens, rinsed and chopped)
2 T crayfish (ground crayfish)
2 chili pepper (Scotch bonnet, seeds removed, finely chopped)
1 onion (peeled and chopped)
  liquid (broth or water, enough to cover the meat)
  salt (to taste)

Instructions

In a pot, heat the palm oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground melon seeds and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the meat, fish, chili peppers, and enough water to cover the meat. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes. Add the ground crayfish salt to taste. Stir and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add the green vegetables and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve egusi soup warm.

Total time
1 hour, 10 minutes
Cooking time
50
Preparation time
20
Yield
6 servings

Notes

Egusi soup can be thick, closer to  a stew that to a soup. Serve the soup with pounded yam, fufu, or rice.

Cooking time depends on the tipe of meat used and size of the cut meat pieces.

Variations

You can use different types of meat or fish, experiment with various leafy vegetables and adjust the level of spiciness to your preference.

Adjustments can be made based on personal preferences and available ingredientes.

Source

Nigerian cuisine

meat, vegetables, main course
simmering, moderate
Nigerianl food recipes
Food in Africa