Egusi soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups ground egusi seeds (melon seeds)
• 500g beef or goat, cut into chunks
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp palm oil (or vegetable oil)
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 litres of water
• 2 cubes broth (beef or vegetable flavour)
• 2 bunches of spinach or bitter leaf (ugu), washed and roughly chopped
• 2-3 chillies (scotch bonnet or habanero), chopped (adjust to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 2-3 crab claws or dried prawns for extra flavour

Approach

Boil the meat in water with 1 cube of broth, 1/2 onion and salt. Cook until the meat is tender, about 30-45 minutes. Remove the meat and set the stock aside.

Heat palm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the rest of the onion until golden.

Add the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes and chilli. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour in the broth and bring to the boil. Add the second cube of broth and boiling meat.
In a bowl, mix ground egusi seeds with a little water to make a thick paste. Add this paste spoon by spoon to the boiling soup, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes. It will thicken as the egusi seeds cook. If you're using crab or prawns, add them now.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Finally, stir in the chopped vegetables. Let them cook for 5-7 minutes until they are soft but still green.
Serve hot with fufu, eba, pounded yam or rice.

Tips
Egusi seeds are often found in African or Asian food stores. They are rich in protein and healthy fats.

Palm oil gives an authentic flavour, but you can replace it with vegetable oil.

"Bitter leaf" (ugu) is traditional, but spinach is a good alternative.

Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding more water or cooking longer to reduce.

Egusi soup is not only tasty, but also nutritious with protein from meat and egusi, vitamins from vegetables, and healthy fats. Enjoy your meal!