Egusi Vegetable (Melon Seed) -Feyisope

Egusi soup is a traditional nigerian soup that is thickened with a particular specie of ground melon seeds. Apart from the seeds, water, and oil, egusi contains vegetables, protein of your choice (beef, chicken, shrimp or fish) oil and a blended pepper mix.

In Nigeria Egusi is very popular amongst a tribe called the Yoruba people, followed by the Igbo people and not long ago the Hausa people started the cooking of Egusi as one of their favourite soups.

Egusi is typically served with pounded yam, eba (cassava), boiled yam or rice. Enjoy the Afrolems version of Egusi below;

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Egusi (Blended melon seeds)

A bunch of green vegetable (option spinach)

1 pound of beef

1 pound of shaki (tripe)

1.5 cups Blended Scotch Bonnet pepper and bell pepper (ata rodo and tatashe)

1 tablespoon of Crayfish powder

1 medium sized Dry fish

I medium piece of stock fish

1/2 bulb of onion (blended)

Salt to taste

Seasoning cubes

2 cooking spoons of palm oil

Recipe

Season and boil your meat, stock fish and tripe and set aside with a bit of stock left once the meat is soft.

Heat up your palm oil but on low heat.

Mix the blended onion with the blended egusi. The onion acts as a binding agent.

Scoop the egusi in balls and drop into the hot oil.

Pour in the blended pepper mix and stir.

Pour in your stock and add your seasoning cubes, crayfish powder and dry fish.

Add your boiled meats and stir. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes

Add your chopped vegetables and allow to simmer for a minute. Serve with any swallow of your choice.

P:s some tribes use eggs as the binding agent instead of onions