Egusi ( Melon seeds ) soup is one of the most popular and cherished Nigerian soups. It's prepared by most tribes in Nigeria with different cooking methods and different names. It's called "Efo elegusi" in Yoruba, "Ofe egusi" in Igbo and "Miyan gushi" in Hausa.
Egusi is also common in West Africa. It's enriched with some nutrients that are good for the body such as "Minerals, fat, amino acid, carbohydrates, fibre, and protein.
I described just 3 methods on this page with the same ingredients.
Ingredients
1. 500mg of grounded egusi ( Melon seeds )
2. Preferred beef and fish of choice. ( Turkey, cow skin, prawn, dry fish, stock fish,cow stripe, e.t.c )
3. 3 tablespoons of ground crayfish
4. Chopped Onions
5. 4 cooking spoons of red palm oil for frying method/ 1 cooking spoon for a caking method.
6. Vegetables ( Nigerian pumpkin leaves, Spinach or Bitter leaves )
7. Locust beans ( optional )
8. Salt and bouillon
9. Chopped pepper ( scotch bonnet )
10. Tomatoes ( for method 3 alone )
Things to do before cooking
1. Rinse the turkey and parboil it with water, salt and bouillon till it's soft.
2. Rinse the vegetable and cut into pieces.
Recipes for method 1 ( Frying method )
1. Heat up your Cooking pot
2. Pour palm oil into the pot and wait till it's hot
3. Add chopped onions, pepper and locust beans
4. Add blended melon and stir to avoid burning
5. Leave for some minutes
6. Add ground crayfish
7. Add stock ( Water from parboiled turkey) or ordinary water but the stock gives more taste than ordinary water
8. Add preferred beef and fish
9. Cover for some minutes
10. Add bouillon and salt.
11. Add vegetable.
12. Stir gently
13. Cover and allow the vegetable to steam. Your egusi soup is ready to be served.
Recipes for method 2 ( Caking method )
1. Mix the blended egusi with a little water and stir till it becomes a thick paste. Set aside
2. Heat up your pot and pour 1 cooking spoon of palm oil into the pot
3. Add balls of egusi paste
4. Fry for 2 minutes
5. Add stock ( water from parboiled beef ) or water. But the stock gives better taste than ordinary water.
6. Cook for another 2 minutes
7. Add pepper
8. Add ground crayfish, locust beans, salt and bouillon
9. Cook for another 3 minutes
10. Add preferred beef and fish
11. Add vegetables and stir gently
12. Allow vegetables to steam. Your Egusi soup is ready
Recipes for Method 3 ( Egusi without palm oil )
1. Mix the blended egusi with a little water and stir till it becomes a thick paste. Then set aside
2. Heat up your cooking pot and add 2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil
3. Add chopped onions and grind tomatoes
4. Add preferred fish, beef and stock ( water from parboiled beef ). If there is no stock, use water but the stock is preferable than ordinary water.
5. Add egusi balls.
6. Add vegetables and stir gently. Add some water if needed.
7. Add ground crayfish, pepper, salt, bouillon and locust beans.
8. Cover and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Your egusi soup is ready to be served.
Tips
1. Add stock before adding salt in other to avoid over salting your soup.
2. When it's cooked, you will see the oil floating on the top.
3. Stir frequently to avoid burning your food. If it should burn, it will become tasteless.
Warning
1. If you're using bitter leaves make sure it's properly washed to remove all bitterness. Wash and squeeze several times in a big bowl with water.
2. If you're watching weight, please limit your egusi intake. Because it has about 48% fat. If you add all the ingredients with your egusi, the total calories will be 700.
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