Naija Relish: How To Cook Nigerian Egusi Soup

Egusi soup is not just known among the Nigerians, It is also popular outside Africa. I have non-African friends who loves it so much too.

Well, it depends on how it's prepared. Egusi is most served with pounded yam, Eba, Semo, fufu, and also white Rice...

Egusi soup can be prepared in at least two methods i know:

-Frying method:- this is like frying the Egusi in Palm oil before further cooking.

-Oshiki Method:- this is molding the Egusi into a small ball, so that it looks

like meat when eaten

I'll show you how I made the Egusi soup above; I used the frying method to cook this. I used:

200g of melon seeds
1 medium onion
A handfull of dry crayfish
1 large scotch bonnet pepper ( ata rodo)
About 2-3 ladle spoon of palm oil
4 cubes of spinach or bitter leaf (I used bitter leaf)
Stock fish (okporoko)
Assorted meat and fish ( I used Tilapia, Chicken and beef)
Salt, curry and maggi to taste
Iru (locust beans)- completely optional

Cooking Procedures

1. Wash the meat to be used, season and bring it to boil. Wash the fish, salt and

and set aside.

2. Soak the stock fish in warm water with a pinch of salt

3. Wash the pepper, onion to be used and blend together with the crayfish

4. Check if the meat is tender enough,then separate the stock from the meat

and set aside. If not, let it continue boiling.

5. In a new pot, heat the palm at a medium heat level

6. Wash and blend the melon, it does not have to be perfectly smooth

7. By now, you would be hearing cracking sound from the palm oil. Reduce the

heat and gently pour in the blended melon. Stir continuously

8. Continue stirring the Egusi to prevent it from sticking to the pot, if after

stirring for a minute, the egusi is still white, add another ladle spoon of palm

oil and keep stirring. You should see the melon oil coming out by now

9. Add in the Iru and keep stirring, (completely optional). Remember to keep

heat reduced. Add in the the blended pepper, and the okporoko and stir.

10. Leave on low heat for 3 mins, then add the meat stock and your assorted
meat back in, stir and leave on low heat now, for 10 mins

11. While that is cooking, put your spinach in a sieve with tiny mesh and pour
warm water over the spinach. If you are using bitter leaf, wash the bitter
in warm water, and boil it hot water for 7 mins, and wash again.

12. Check the melon again and stir it, check for taste. Be careful with salt as
your fish is salted already

13. Add in the washed spinach/bitter leaf and stir again