Recipe
Egusi Soup
A richly seasoned Nigerian egusi soup made with ground melon seeds, tender beef, prawns and spinach, with a gentle chilli warmth and enough body to spoon over pounded yam, fufu or rice.
Ingredients
Method
20 mins prep70 mins cook90 mins total
Put the beef, half the onion, half the pepper blend and 250 ml of stock in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes until tender.
Warm the palm oil in a second pan. Fry the remaining onion for 3 minutes, then add the remaining pepper blend and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the egusi and fry for 3 minutes, adding a splash of stock if it catches.
Gradually add the remaining stock and the cooked beef with its liquor. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fold in the prawns and spinach and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the prawns are opaque and the greens wilt. Serve with pounded yam, fufu or rice.
Notes
Squeeze excess water from frozen spinach before adding it. Add the prawns only at the end so they remain tender, and loosen the soup with a splash of stock if needed.
About this recipe
Ground egusi, or melon seeds, gives this Nigerian soup its distinctive nutty flavour and thick, spoon-coating texture. Beef is simmered until tender before the egusi and pepper base are cooked in palm oil, allowing the stock to carry the seasoning through every mouthful.
Prawns and spinach go in at the end so they stay succulent and bright. Serve the soup with pounded yam, fufu or rice, adding a little more stock if you prefer a looser consistency. Keep the heat moderate while the egusi cooks so it does not catch on the base of the pan.
