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Egusi Soup for Children

Also known as Egusi Soup for Children (Mild)

Mild Egusi Soup for children uses all the same technique and ingredients as the standard Egusi Soup but with the pepper quantity reduced to just 1 to 2 Atarodo and the ugwu or spinach left very tender for easy eating. Nigerian children are introduced to Egusi Soup from a young age — often as one of their first solid foods after pap — and it remains a firm favourite throughout childhood.

Egusi Soup for Children, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 and a half big cups of ground egusi (melon seeds)
  • 4 big handfuls of fresh ugwu or spinach, sliced
  • 1 whole chicken (child-sized portions — remove large bones)
  • 1 big handful of stockfish, soaked
  • 2 big handfuls of smoked catfish, soaked and deboned
  • 3 cooking spoons of red palm oil
  • 2 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 2 Atarodo only — very mild for children
  • 2 big Tatashe (red bell peppers) — for rich colour without heat
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt — use moderately for children
  • 1 glass of water or stock

Method

  1. 01

    Cooking the Chicken. Season and cook chicken in water for 20 minutes until tender. Remove and fry golden. Reserve the stock.

  2. 02

    Frying the Mild Pepper Base. Heat palm oil in a wide pot. Add sliced onion and fry 2 minutes. Add blended Tatashe and the 2 Atarodo. Fry for 15 minutes until well-cooked and oil floats on top. The children's base should smell rich but not fiercely spicy.

  3. 03

    Adding and Frying the Egusi. Mix ground egusi with enough water to form a thick paste. Add spoonfuls to the mild pepper base. Fry undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir and fry 5 more minutes.

  4. 04

    Building the Soup. Add fried chicken, stockfish, smoked catfish and ground crayfish. Add seasoning cubes and salt (moderately). Add 1 glass of chicken stock. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.

  5. 05

    Adding Vegetables. Add sliced ugwu or spinach. Stir through. Cook 5 minutes. Taste — the soup should be nutty, mildly flavoured and completely enjoyable for a child. Serve hot.

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