Celebrate Easter with Egusi Soup

Egusi soup is one of the most popular soups amongst Nigerians. I know most of you celebrate with Jollof rice and Chicken, but please, take a break this Easter and try this Egusi recipe for a change.

     Ingredients

• Egusi(Melon) Seeds - 3 cigar cups/600g
• Red Palm Oil - 2 cooking spoons
• Beef - Best cut with shaki(cow tripe)
• Fish - Dry Fish and smoked Fish
• Crayfish
• Vegetable - Pumpkin leaves or Bitter Leaf
• Seasoning of your choice - 3 Cubes
• Traditional Seasoning - Fermented soya (optional)

Important Tool

Before preparing the soup, soak the dry fish for about half an hour.
If you are using the very hard stockfish, boil it for 20minutes and leave in the hot water to soak for 30mins.
If you are using the softer fish, just leave them in cold water till you break them apart with your hands. Get all your ingredients ready.

Cooking Directions

There are two main methods of cooking egusi soup. One is called oil before egusi and the other is called egusi before oil, but I will take you through oil before egusi method.

Put 2 cooking spoons of red palm oil in a dry pot and set on your cooker to heat.
Bleach the oil for a while and add the egusi to fry. This should be done on low heat to avoid burning.

Keep frying until you see the egusi getting drier. You will know the egusi is dry when it starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Now start adding the stockfish, shaki, fermented soya and crayfish while still stirring the egusi. You can add some water if you feel the soup is too thick, then add the vegetable to it at this point.

Cover the pot to cook for about 15-20 mins.
The egusi is done when you notice the oil comes to the surface of the pot.
Add the meat, salt to taste and seasoning. Then cover to cook for another 5mins.

Your Egusi is ready for celebration at this point.

Serve with Pounded Yam, Semo or Fufu. You know what I'm saying.

Have a wonderful Easter Celebration with your Yummy Egusi Soup!