Egusi Soup Recipe (with Assorted Meat)

Egusi soup recipe is one of the amazing delicious local Nigerian soups. This soup is prepared with local melon seeds, and is prepared by most tribes in Nigeria in various ways. This West African cuisine is made with ground egusi seeds and different kinds of meat and fish. This is simple preparation guide on how to cook egusi soup recipe with assorted meat. The assorted meat broth gives it a delicious kickstart before being topped with other spicy and juicy ingredients. Egusi soup is best served with pounded yam, but also other kinds of fufu (eba/garri, amala, semolina or tuwo shinkafa).

Ingredients

• 3 cups egusi (dried egusi seeds)
• 1 cup palm oil (red oil)
• 3 tbsp cup grounded crayfish
• Traditional seasoning; locust beans, ogiri okpei, dawadawa (optional)
• Vegetable; Nigerian pumpkin leaves, bitter leaves or spinach
• Pepper and salt to taste
• Seasoning cubes; Maggi/knorr
• Meat:
  • Beef/goat meat
  • Turkey/chicken
  • Shaki (cow tripe)
  • Kpomo (cow skin)
• Fish
  • Dry fish
  • Stock fish

Preparation

1. Wash meat and cut, add it to the pot, season with salt, bouillon cubes and other meat seasoning and cook on medium heat with little or not water till done. Allow the meat to cook with steam, this makes it extra juicy. Soak the fish in warm water, wash and debone them when soft – break them into sizeable chunks and cook with the meat.
2. Get other ingredients ready while the meat is cooking: Grind the egusi with a dry mill/blender – keep dry. Separately grind the crayfish and dry pepper, set aside. Wash the vegetable to be used, cut into tiny pieces and set aside.
3. Heat the palm oil in another pot and add the ground egusi and stir fry mixture. Add the ground crayfish and dry pepper – stir well and continue to fry. Then traditional seasoning (ogre okpei/iru), add Maggi/Knorr.
4. Add the meat stock/broth and stir well with the fried mixture. Cover the pot and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring at intervals to avoid burning. If the soup is too thick, top up the water when necessary to bring the soup to a consistency you like. Add salt and adjust for desired spices/ingredients if necessary.
5. Add the cooked meat and fish, stir very well. Add the vegetable of your choice, stir and cover pot and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Your egusi soup is ready! Serve with pounded yam or other kinds of fufu (eba/garri, amala, semolina or tuwo shinkafa).
7. Enjoy!

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