Description
On paper, egusi soup sounds odd: ground melon seeds fried in palm oil with peppers, beef and leafy greens, cooked into a Nigerian stew thick with soft, nutty curds. It tastes awesome, and you eat it with something soft and starchy like pounded yam or eba.
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 lb (450 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 onion, in chunks
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups (960 ml) water
For the Soup
- 1 1/2 cups (about 200 g) ground egusi (melon seeds)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) palm oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 to 2 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped, to blend with the peppers
- 2 tbsp ground dried crayfish
- 4 oz (115 g) smoked fish, such as smoked mackerel, flaked (optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
TO COOK THE BEEF
Put the beef, onion chunks, bouillon cubes, salt and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is tender. Reserve the beef and all of the stock (you should have about 3 cups).
To Make the Soup
Blend the red bell peppers, scotch bonnets and the roughly chopped half onion into a smooth paste.
Mix the ground egusi with 1/3 cup of water to make a thick, crumbly paste.
Heat the palm oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pepper paste and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until it reduces and the oil separates and floats on top.
Drop spoonfuls of the egusi paste over the pepper base. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes without stirring, until curds form. Then stir gently.
Add the beef, 1 1/2 cups of the beef stock, the crayfish and the smoked fish. Simmer, partly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more stock if it gets too thick.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 3 minutes, until wilted. Taste and add salt if needed.
Notes
- Serve with pounded yam, eba or fufu.
- Goat works in place of beef; cook it 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or about 30 minutes in a pressure cooker.
- Fresh ground egusi smells nutty. If yours smells sour or oily, it has gone off.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Comforting Soups
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 720
- Fat: 50 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Protein: 28 g