Written by Idowu Kehinde Elizabeth
This recipe will show you how to make Nigerian Egusi Soup, a popular West African soup made with melon seeds.
1 cup blended onions (about 3- 5 and fresh chilies, to taste)
4 cups egusi (melon seeds, ground or milled)
1⁄2 – 1 cup palm oil
2 teaspoons fresh Une (Iru, locust beans)
Salt (to taste)
Ground crayfish (to taste)
7– 8 cups stock
Cooked Meat & fish (quantity and variety to personal preference)
2 cups cut pumpkin leaves
1 cup waterleaf (cut)
3 tablespoons bitter leaf (washed)
EGUSI PASTE:
Prepare the egusi paste:
Blend egusi seeds and onion mixture. Set aside.
MAKE THE SOUP:
In a large pot, heat the palm oil on medium for a minute and then add the Une.
Slowly add the stock and set on low heat to simmer.
Scoop teaspoon size balls of the egusi paste mixture into the stock. Be sure to keep ball shape.
Leave to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes so the balls cook through.
Add the meat and fish and other bits which you’d like to use.
Add cut-up pumpkin leaves.
Add the waterleaf.
Stir and put a lid on the pot and allow cook for 7–10 minutes, till the leaves wilt.
Add the bitter leaf. Leave the lid off while the cooking finishes for another 5-10 minutes.
Stir, check seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Now you can sit back and enjoy your delicious Nigerian Egusi Soup!
Idowu Kehinde Elizabeth is a student of mass communication department, Icon Universal Polytechnic
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