Authentic Nigerian Egusi Soup with Assorted Meats
A wholesome, deeply comforting soup crafted from slow-simmered stock, aromatic garden vegetables, and fresh herbs, served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- • 2 cups ground melon seeds (egusi)
- • 500g beef brisket, boiled until tender
- • 300g cow tripe (shaki), cooked tender
- • 200g smoked dry fish, deboned
- • 100g stockfish flakes, softened
- • 1/2 cup red palm oil
- • 2 red bell peppers, blended
- • 2 scotch bonnets, blended
- • 1 large onion, chopped
- • 3 tbsp ground crayfish
- • 2 cups beef stock
- • 2 cups chopped bitterleaf or spinach (ugwu)
- • 1 tbsp ground iru (locust beans)
- • 2 seasoning cubes
- • 1 tsp salt
Preparation Steps
Mix ground egusi seeds with a little warm water and half chopped onion to form a thick, stiff paste.
Heat palm oil in a pot until clear, fry remaining chopped onion and locust beans (iru) for 2 minutes, then stir in blended pepper sauce and fry for 10 minutes.
Drop spoonfuls of egusi paste into the simmering stew; cover and steam for 10 minutes without stirring so curds firm up.
Gently stir in boiled beef, shaki, softened stockfish, smoked fish, crayfish, seasoning cubes, and rich stock; simmer for 15 minutes.
Fold in washed chopped bitterleaf or ugwu leaves and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with freshly pounded yam or eba.