The Best Way to Cook Egusi Soup

Egusi soup is a delicious soup that is popular in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. It is a soup made with ground melon seeds and typically served with a starchy side like pounded yam, fufu, or eba. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make a delicious egusi soup:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of egusi (ground melon seeds)
• 2-3 cups of water
• 2 cups of stock or meat broth (chicken, beef, or fish)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 cups of chopped vegetables (spinach, kale, bitter leaf, pumpkin leaves)
• 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers (depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1-2 teaspoons of crayfish powder
• 1-2 seasoning cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Meat or fish of your choice (chicken, beef, goat meat, fish, shrimp, or crayfish)
• Palm oil or vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat a pot or a saucepan on medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of palm oil or vegetable oil, and fry the chopped onions and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the meat or fish to the pot and fry until it’s brown on all sides. Season with a seasoning cube and salt to taste.
3. Add the ground egusi to the pot, and stir for about 2-3 minutes until it is well combined with the oil and meat/fish stock. Add water to the pot, enough to cover the ingredients in the pot.
4. Add the scotch bonnet pepper, crayfish powder, and another seasoning cube if needed. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about 10-15 minutes. This will give the egusi time to cook and thicken the soup.
5. Stir the soup occasionally to prevent the egusi from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6. After 10-15 minutes, add the chopped vegetables to the pot and stir well. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
7. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary. You can also add more water or stock if the soup is too thick.
8. Serve hot with your preferred starchy side like pounded yam, fufu, or eba.

Note: You can use any combination of meat or fish in your egusi soup, and you can also vary the vegetables to your liking. Some people like to add okra, tomatoes, or bell peppers to their egusi soup.