Egusi soup
Ground melon seed soup with palm oil, meat and greens.
At a glance
- Time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 6
- Kitchen
- West African
- Heat
- Medium
First time?
In West Africa a 'soup' is a thick stew eaten with a soft dough called swallow (pounded yam, eba or fufu). Egusi is ground melon seed. It thickens the soup and goes into soft, nutty curds.
Method
Put the meat in a pot with the onion, stock cubes, salt and enough water to just cover. Simmer for 40 minutes, until tender. Keep the stock.
Blend the red pepper and scotch bonnet with a splash of water. Mix the egusi with about 6 tablespoons of water to a thick paste.
Heat the palm oil gently in a large pot (do not let it smoke). Fry the onion for 3 minutes, then add the pepper blend and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the egusi paste in spoonfuls. Leave it for 2 minutes, then stir gently and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until it forms soft curds.
Add the meat with about 500 ml of its stock and the crayfish. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Taste for salt.
Add the stock bit by bit: egusi should be thick enough to scoop up with your swallow.
Eat it with: Pounded yam, eba or fufu, made from yam flour.
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