Nigerian Egusi Soup Recipe
Learn how to properly make Nigerian Egusi Soup.
Equipment
- Large Cooking Pot for boiling the assorted meats and later simmering the soup.
- Mixing Bowl to mix the ground egusi into a paste.
- Frying Pan or Medium-Sized Pot for frying the egusi paste and finishing the soup.
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula for stirring the egusi paste and soup to prevent burning.
- Knife for chopping onions and leafy vegetables.
- Cutting Board for preparing the onions and vegetables.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: to measure water, palm oil, and other ingredients.
- Colander or Strainer to rinse the spinach or ugu leaves and smoked or crayfish (if needed).
- Blender or Grinder to grind egusi seeds, crayfish, and pepper (if not pre-ground).
- Tongs or Slotted Spoon for handling the boiled meats.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups ground egusi (melon seeds)
- 1½ lbs assorted meats (beef, goat meat, tripe)
- 1 smoked Fish Optional
- 1 cup stockfish (pre-soaked in warm water)
- 1 cup palm oil
- 2-3 cups spinach or ugu (Nigerian pumpkin leaves), chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3-4 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2 tbsp ground pepper (or to taste)
- 2-3 stock cubes
- Salt to taste
- 4 cups meat or fish stock (or water)
- 1 cup water (for mixing egusi)
Instructions
Cook the Meats:
- In a large pot, boil the assorted meats (beef, goat, and tripe) with salt, chopped onions, and stock cubes until tender. This can take about 30–40 minutes.
- Once the meat is cooked, set it aside and reserve the stock.
Prepare the Egusi Paste:
- In a bowl, mix the ground egusi with a cup of water to form a thick paste.
- Set aside.
Heat the Palm Oil:
- In another pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat until it melts but is not smoking.
- Add the chopped onions and fry for about 2 minutes until translucent.
Fry the Egusi Paste:
- Add the egusi paste to the oil and fry, stirring continuously to avoid burning.
- Let it fry for 8–10 minutes, or until it starts to dry and crumble into small lumps.
Add Meat Stock and Crayfish:
- Slowly add the reserved meat stock or water to the fried egusi, stirring to dissolve any lumps.
- Then, add the ground crayfish and ground pepper.
- Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add Meats and Fish:
- Add the cooked meats, stockfish, and smoked fish (if using) to the pot.
- Stir well to combine and let it cook for another 10–15 minutes so the flavors can meld together.
Add Leafy Vegetables:
- Finally, add the chopped spinach or ugu (pumpkin leaves) and let it cook for another 3–5 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning with salt or more stock cubes if needed.
Serve:
- Once the vegetables are tender, remove the soup from heat. Serve your delicious egusi soup hot with pounded yam, boiled plantains, eba, fufu, or rice.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!