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Egusi Soup

Also known as Egusi Soup (Melon Seed Soup)

Egusi Soup is undeniably one of the most celebrated soups in all of Nigerian cuisine — a dish that transcends ethnic boundaries and is beloved by Yoruba, Igbo, Edo and many other Nigerian peoples, though its Yoruba preparation is among the most well-known. Made from ground melon seeds (egusi) fried or cooked in palm oil with a generous assortment of meats, stockfish, dried fish, crayfish and leafy vegetables, Egusi Soup is rich, filling and deeply satisfying.

Egusi Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of ground egusi (melon seeds)
  • Half a medium-sized chicken, cut into pieces
  • 2 big handfuls of assorted meat (beef, tripe/shaki, ponmo)
  • 1 big handful of stockfish (okporoko), soaked and broken into pieces
  • 1 big handful of smoked dried fish (panla or titus), soaked and deboned
  • 3 cooking spoons of palm oil
  • 4 big tomatoes, blended
  • 3 Tatashe (red bell peppers), blended
  • 3 to 4 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion — half blended with peppers, half sliced
  • 3 big handfuls of ground crayfish
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr or Maggi), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 big handfuls of fresh spinach or ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaf), roughly chopped
  • Water or stock as needed

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Meat. Season all the meat and chicken with 1 crushed seasoning cube, sliced onion, salt and a pinch of thyme. Place in a pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and set aside. Reserve the stock — this is your cooking liquid.

  2. 02

    Preparing the Egusi. Mix the ground egusi with just enough water to form a thick paste — about the consistency of peanut butter. Some cooks mix it with a little palm oil instead of water. Set aside.

  3. 03

    Frying the palm oil Base. Heat 3 cooking spoons of palm oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat until it melts and becomes hot but not smoking. Add the blended pepper, tomato and onion mixture. Fry vigorously, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the oil floats visibly on top of the pepper base.

  4. 04

    Frying the Egusi. Add the egusi paste to the fried pepper in spoonfuls, dropping it in like dumplings across the pot. Do not stir immediately. Allow the egusi to fry in the pepper for 5 minutes — you will see it sizzle and begin to cook in lumps. Then stir everything together and continue frying for another 5 minutes until the egusi smells nutty and is well-fried. This frying step is critical to the flavour of the soup.

  5. 05

    Adding Protein and Stock. Add the cooked meat, chicken, soaked stockfish and smoked dried fish to the pot. Pour in enough reserved meat stock to achieve your desired soup thickness. Stir well. Add ground crayfish, remaining crushed seasoning cubes and salt. Bring to a steady simmer.

  6. 06

    Simmering. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent the egusi from sticking to the bottom. The egusi will fully dissolve into the soup, thickening it beautifully. Add more stock or water if the soup becomes too thick.

  7. 07

    Adding the Vegetables. Add the chopped spinach or ugwu leaves. Stir through and cook for just 3 to 5 minutes — do not overcook the vegetables. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning. The soup should be rich, thick, flavourful and slightly oily on the surface.

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