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The Global Kitchen
Egusi Soup
The last time, we gave the recipe for
Edikaikong soup. This time, I
want to bring you another kind of soup from Nigeria. The base of
this soup is egusi - ground melon seeds. Egusi comes from a
specific type of melon grown in West Africa, the eastern part of
Nigeria especially. Though you can enjoy the soup by itself, African soups are mostly used as sauce for eating
fufu, the most popular staple food in West
Africa.
Egusi soup is original to the Igbo people of South East Nigeria.
Everything you need for this dish is available at your local
African food store.
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Egusi Soup |
Ingredients: |
Egusi Soup (Serves Four)
(1) Egusi -- 2 cups of ground egusi
(2) Ugu or Ukazi (subsitute Spinach) -- 1 Heads or 1 cup (1/2 Pack of Spinach)
(3) Crayfish -- 1 Cup
(4) Whole Dried Fish -- 2 Medium
(5) Beef -- 1.5lbs
(6) Palm Oil -- 1.5 cups
(7) Pepper -- 6 to 10 fresh hot or to taste
(8) Seasoning -- 1 or 2 cubes of beef stock
(9) Onions -- 1 Whole Small
(10) Salt -- about 2 teaspoons (use discretion)
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Preparation:
- Fresh vegetables bought from the store should always be washed before use. If you are able to get ugu or ukazi (1 cup) use either. Otherwise spinach will do. Pluck the leaves from the stem. Discard the stems. Collate and chop the leaves into thin (1/4 inch) slices. Set aside.
- Blend crayfish into coarse powder using electric grinder.
- Break up the dried fish in a bowl pour in boiling water, add about 2 spoon heaps of salt. Wash the fish in the hot salt water to remove sand and other dirt. Debone fish. Remove fish from salt water and set aside.
- Grind peppers to a paste. Set aside.
- Grind the egusi in the electric grinder. 4 cups of whole egusi should give 2 cups ground.
- Wash and cut up the beef into approximately one inch squares.
- Chop onions and set aside.
The Cooking:
- In a medium sized pot, bring the beef and chopped onions to steam without adding water.
Keep pot covered while steaming.
- Add pepper and salt. Stir and let steam for one more minute
- Add beef stock seasoning, 1/4 cup of water and salt, and cook till meat is tender (5 to 15 minutes). add water 1/4 cup at a time until meat is tender.
- Add the dried fish parts. Stir.
- Add the crayfish, stir and let cook for one minute more.
- Add the palm oil, stir and let boil for three more minutes.
- Dissolve the 2 cups of ground egusi in 3/4 cup of water. Pour the egusi mixture into the cooking pot. Stir thoroughly.
- Sprinkle in the ugu or ukazi or spinach, stir and allow to boil over (about one minute).
- Turn off heat and serve. Should be able to feed four adults.
- African soups are mostly used to eat fufu. See fufu preparation.
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Bon appetit! |
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