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egusi soup, sometimes called melon soup is a delicacy enjoyed all over West Africa, particularly among us Nigerians home and abroad. My recipe is simple, direct and easy to follow.

Ingredients

egusi seeds (1 to 2 cups, finely grounded)

palm oil 1 cup

Bitter leaf - better freshly squeezed or you can use spinach or any other green vegetable you like.

cray fish (dried shrimp) about 1cup

maggi cubes

thyme (half a teasponful)

curry powder (half a teasponful)

african red oinions (1 chopped)

salt

fresh or smoked fish or better yet stock fish

Goat meat or beef

chopped tomatoes and fresh pepper (blended) Go easy on the pepper if you do not like it very spicy.

cooking time and method

60 to 90 minutes

Be sure to soak your stock fish overnight to make it soft and cook faster

Put your meat into a pot adding salt, 1 chopped bulb of onion, half a spoon of thyme, curry powder and about three average size cup of water. After 10 minutes add two cubes of maggi and let it cook for about 30 to 40 minutes until soft and tender to taste.

While that is cooking, put your chopped tomatoes, 1 or 2 cans of tin tomatoes paste, fresh or dried pepper, with some red oinions into a blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Heat a big pot and pour half a cup of red palm oil. After about one minute pour the blended tomatoe paste into the pot and continue to stir for about 8 to 10 minutes. You should reduce the heat to the pot a little bit, and then add the meat to the sauce. Stir ocassionally for about 3 minutes and then add your vegetables. You can add more salt if needed or one more maggi cube. Cover the pot , but make sure you reduce the heat to half what is was before.

After about 10 minutes you should be greeted with some mouth watering aroma; letting you know your egusi soup is ready.

Egusi soup is best served: with pounded yam or eaten with eba - made from garri or semovita or just white rice.

Enjoy and send me sample! It is your choice!

This looks like yummy. Now I understand why Nigerians love it. Is this the Nigerian national dish?