Nigeria

Egusi soup

Ground melon seeds simmered in palm oil with greens and meat. Rich, nutty and made for fufu.

70 minTime

37 gProtein each

mediumSpice

Make it your way

Grandma's wayEgusi, palm oil, greens, meat and dried fish.

The original

449kcalsame

37 gproteinsame

3 gfibresame

70minutessame

Classic egusi soup.

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table.

Melon seeds (melon seeds, peeled)1 cup egusi seeds, ground (magaz works)

Red palm oil4 tbsp

Beef500 g, cubed

Dried salted fish1 piece smoked or dried fish, flaked

Ground dried crayfish (ground dried shrimp)2 tbsp

Spinach1 large bunch, chopped (ugu or bitterleaf traditionally)

Onion1 large, chopped

Red bell pepper (red capsicum, red pepper)1, blended

Scotch bonnet chilli (habanero or scotch bonnet pepper, habanero chilli)1, blended

Stock cube (bouillon cube)1 cube

Water3 cups

Saltto taste

5 steps

1Boil the beef with half the onion, the stock cube and salt until tender. Keep the stock.
2Mix ground egusi with a little water and the rest of the onion into a thick paste.
3Heat palm oil gently, add the blended pepper and fry 5 minutes. Drop in small lumps of egusi paste and leave undisturbed.
4Add the meat, its stock, fish and crayfish. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring gently.
5Stir in the spinach and cook 3 minutes. Adjust salt.

Serve it like this

Ladle into a deep bowl with pieces of meat and fish on top. Serve with a smooth ball of fufu or pounded yam on the side.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.