A thick, rich Nigerian soup combining ground melon seeds with fresh spinach, palm oil, and assorted proteins, creating a hearty and nutritious meal beloved across West Africa.
Ingredients
1 cup ground egusi (melon seeds)
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
500g beef or goat meat
1/2 cup palm oil
2 large tomatoes, blended
2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended
1 medium onion, diced
3 tbsp ground crayfish
200g smoked fish
2 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste
Instructions
1Boil the meat with onion, seasoning cubes, and salt until tender, about 40 minutes, reserving the stock for the soup base.
2Heat palm oil in a large pot, saute diced onion until translucent, then add blended tomatoes and peppers, cooking for 15 minutes until the sauce reduces.
3Mix the ground egusi with a little warm water to form a thick paste, then add it to the pot in spoonfuls, stirring gently and simmering for 10 minutes until it sets.
4Add the cooked meat, smoked fish, ground crayfish, and enough stock to reach desired consistency, then fold in the chopped spinach, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve with any swallow.
Did You Know?
Every Nigerian household has its own closely guarded egusi soup recipe, and debates about whether to fry or boil the egusi first have divided families and regions for generations.