Peanuts or groundnuts, yams, cassava, fish, rice, okra, bananas, guinea corn and millet, and palm nuts are staple items in the Nigerian cuisine.
They are often starchy, and Nigerians like cooking with a variety of peppers and spices, particularly those from the southwest and southeast. This dish makes use of only local products to produce a delicious and healthful supper.
The ground Egusi seeds provide a distinct color and taste to this soup. If you can’t locate Egusi seeds, you may use pumpkin seeds or Pepitas, both of which can be found in Latin American grocery shops. This soup is thickened with flour milled from the seeds of African gourds, melons, pumpkins, and squashes.
Egusi Soup
200 g Water Leaves
50 g Egusi seeds
1 teaspoon Dry Ground Red Pepper
1 medium Onion
100ml Palm Oil
10g Dry Ground Crayfish
120g Fresh Tomatoes
100ml Water
Salt & Pepper to taste
In clean, fresh water, thoroughly wash the leaves.
Until smooth, liquidise or pulverise the onions, tomatoes, and egusi seeds.
Fry for five minutes in palm oil with dry ground pepper.
Cook for five minutes after adding the water and covering with a lid.
Replace the top and simmer for another five minutes after adding the water leaves.
Finally, add the crayfish and spice and thoroughly reheat through.
To add protein, serve with pounded yam or boiled rice and a meat stew.
Serve with eba, fufu, or your favorite carbohydrate.
Thank you to the people of Nigeria for making us feel welcome and instilling in us a love of traditional Nigerian cuisine.
