Nigerian kitchen guides

Authentic Nigerian Egusi Soup

Egusi soup is the heart of a Nigerian table — ground melon seeds simmered in red palm oil with pepper, meat, smoked fish and fresh greens. This is the way Chef Lolidee cooks it in Kyiv, unchanged from home.

Total time

1 h 20 m

Serves

6 people

Heat

Medium-hot

Ingredients

• 2 cups ground egusi (melon seeds)
• 500 g beef or goat meat, cut into chunks
• 200 g smoked or dried fish, cleaned and deboned
• 2 tbsp ground crayfish
• 1/2 cup red palm oil
• 1 medium onion, blended
• 3 fresh red peppers + 2 scotch bonnets, blended
• 300 g chopped ugu (pumpkin leaves) or spinach
• 2 seasoning cubes, salt to taste
• 3 cups meat stock or water

Method

1. 1

   Season and boil the meat

   Season the beef or goat meat with onion, seasoning cubes and salt. Boil until tender, then reserve the stock — it carries most of the flavour.

2. 2

   Make the egusi paste

   Mix the ground egusi with a little blended onion and a splash of water until it forms a thick, mouldable paste.

3. 3

   Heat the palm oil

   Warm the palm oil in a pot over medium heat (do not bleach it), then add the blended pepper and fry for 5–7 minutes until the raw smell disappears.

4. 4

   Add the egusi in lumps

   Drop the egusi paste into the pot in small lumps. Let them fry undisturbed for about 10 minutes so they set instead of dissolving.

5. 5

   Simmer with stock

   Pour in the reserved stock, add the meat, smoked fish and ground crayfish. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the oil floats to the top.

6. 6

   Finish with greens

   Stir in the chopped ugu or spinach, adjust the salt, and cook for 3 more minutes only — the leaves should stay bright.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot with pounded yam, eba, fufu or semovita.

Chef's tips

• Fry the egusi in lumps and resist stirring — that texture is the whole point.
• Use real red palm oil; vegetable oil gives a flat, pale soup.
• The soup is ready when a clear layer of oil rises to the surface.