Nigerian Egusi Soup
A Spicy and Unique soup full of flavour and texture!
Equipment
- Coffee Grinder
- Blender
- Wide Casserole Pot
- Stock Pot
- Frying pan
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring Spoons
- Kitchen roll
- Oil Splash Guard
Ingredients
Meat
- 500 g beef muscle
- 3 cups sunflower oil
- 1 celery stalk
- 2 carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
Stew Base
- 1 medium onion or yellow or green
- 1 large red pepper
- 8 scotch bonnet
Onion Mix
- 1 medium onion
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp ground crayfish
Egusi
- ¼ cup palm oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups egusi whole
- 100 ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp ground crayfish
- 5 iru
- 2 stock cubes or maggi
Instructions
Meat
- Chop the meat into your desired size and then add to a deep stock pot.
- Add thyme, garlic, carrots, onions, celery and a stock cube or maggi to the pot and fill the pot with water until just above the level of the meat.
- Boil the meat for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender. Not too soft but soft enough to pierce but not fall apart.
- Drain the beef and reserve the broth for whatever you like!
- Dry the beef off with some kitchen roll and then prepare the frying pan with oil for frying.
- Heat the oil for 10 minutes or until 190°C. Add the beef to the pan and use a splash guard to protect yourself and the stove.
- Fry the beef for 4-5 minutes each side then remove to a kitchen roll lined bowl or plate.
Egusi Soup
- Grind the egusi in medium batches until super fine.
- Blend 1 medium onion with 1 cup water and 1 tbsp ground crayfish. Put the egusi into a mixing bowl and add onion mix little by little to create a paste.
- Blend the Red peppers, onions and chillis Pour oil into pot and heat until hot then fry the iru for 2-3 mins or until jumping then throw in the stew base.
- 20 mins later or Once the oil rises and the raw smell has gone add the stock and 1 tbsp ground crayfish.
- Then start scooping the egusi paste into the pot in tbsp lumps/mounds then cover the pot and put it on low.
- Check every 3 minutes to check its not sticking. Leave for 20 mins not touching it.
- After 20 mins add the meat, stir and cover and leave for at least 10 minutes.
- Finally add the chopped spinach stir, cover and leave for 5 minutes then your egusi is ready.
Notes
TIPS -
- Use no more than 30% onion or the egusi will be bitter.
- Use two spoons to scoop the egusi lumps into the pot.
- When checking the egusi during the first 20 minutes tilt the pot or wiggle it slightly to see if the balls move. If they move the are fine if there is little to no movement they are sticking and the heat needs to be turned lower.
- If this is too difficult use a spatula to gently lift the egusi if you must. You must be extremely gentle as you may break the balls before they have solidified more.
- Keep the heat low once the egusi is in the pot to avoid burning.