Egusi soup is a staple across Nigeria and in many parts of West Africa. The soup takes its name from the seeds that both thicken and flavor it. Egusi soup typically features meat (such as beef, smoked poultry, goat, cow skin, and offal) and seafood, as well as nutritious bitter greens.
Egusi soup is served with eba! Find the eba recipe here.
Ingredients
Stockfish
- 12 pieces
Meat
– 1 lb meat of choice (lean stew beef, chicken etc.)
Bouillon
– 1 maggi cube, or 1 teaspoon bouillon paste
Bay_leaf
– 1
Curry_powder
– 1 ½ teaspoon
Thyme
– 1 teaspoon, dry
Rosemary
– sprig, fresh or ½ teaspoon dried
Red_Pepper_Flakes
– 1 teaspoon (optional)
Garlic
– 3 cloves, minced
Onion
– 2 , diced, divided
Tomato
– 1, roughly chopped
Habanero
– 3 each
Bell_Pepper
– ½ red, roughly chopped
Crayfish
– 1 cup, dried
Red_Palm_oil
– 3 Tablespoons
Egusi_Seed
– 2/3 cup, ground
Spinach
– 6 cups, sliced
Bitter_Leaf
– ½ cup
Salt
– to taste
Instructions
Step 1
Soak stockfish in boiling water for 10 minutes to rehydrate and remove any sand, then strain.
Step 2
In a pot, cover the meat or fish with water, add 1 ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 bouillon cube, and 1 bay leaf , curry powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, garlic, ½ onion. Cover pot, and allow to boil. Boil until meat is tender ~ 30 minutes, or according to your taste.
Step 3
Combine ½ cup water, the tomato, habaneros, ½ onion, 1 bell pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Set the rest aside.
Step 4
Add crayfish + 1 cup water to a blender, blend until smooth.
Step 5
Heat red palm oil over medium, in a soup pot. Add ½ onion and cook until softened. Add the ground egusi seed and mix. The mixture should be thick.
Step 6
Add the blended tomato mixture and the blended crayfish. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the stockfish, meat, and the cooking liquid from the meat. Bring to a simmer and then add the bitter leaf and spinach. Cook 10 more minutes. Serve with eba.