How to cook egusi soup boiling method is one of the most sought after information, especially amongst the lovers of the egusi soup nutritious delicacy.
Although, there’re many methods of cooking egusi soup aside from the boiling method such as the frying method.
However, how to cook egusi soup boiling method shall be our focus of discussion in this article.
Firstly,
What is Egusi Soup?
Egusi soup is one of the popular delicacies in some parts of West Africa. In Nigeria, egusi (egwusi, agusi, ohue, Ikpan, Ikon, agushi) is common among the people of the southwestern Yoruba people, Efik, Ibibio and Annang people of south-south Nigeria, and the southeastern part of Nigeria by the Igbo people of southern Nigeria.
The major ingredient of the soup being the egusi is gotten from melon seed and it’s grounded before being used to prepare the soup.
However, egusi soup can also be prepared by using lumpy grounded egusi seed.
Egusi soup can be cooked without frying or by frying method with tomatoes, bitter leaf, ugu vegetable leave, or with any other vegetable leave as we’re going to be discussing in the latter part of this article.
Egusi soup can be prepared by boiling or frying method depending on the preparation method of your choice.
The good part of cooking egusi soup by boiling or frying method is that the ingredients used for preparing egusi soup are cheap and readily available in all parts of Nigeria.
This special Nigerian delicacy can be eaten with garri, fufu, pounded yam, wheat, semovita, and many more.
Ingredients Used In Cooking Egusi Soup
Below are some of the ingredients used in cooking egusi soup.
- Grounded or Lumpy Egusi | melon seed
- Palm Oil
- Stock Fish
- Dried or Fresh fish
- Onions
- Fresh Pepper
- Seasoning Cubes like magi or any soup spice.
- Bitter leaf | Ugu leave (depending on your choice)
- Meat, etc.
Nutritional Value Of Egusi
Egusi is rich in many beneficial nutrients which are good for the body and some of these nutrients are protein, potassium, vitamin B1, sulphur, fats, calcium, magnesium, carbohydrate, zinc, copper, vitamins A, E, and C, manganese, dietary fibre and more.
| Per 100g serving | |
| Carbohydrates | 7.6g |
| Protein | 0.6g |
| Dietary Fibre | 0.4g |
| Fats | 0.2g |
| Viatmin C | 8mg |
| By Weight | |
| Oil Content | 50% |
| Protein | 37.4% |
| Fibre | 3.6% |
| Ash | 6.4% |
| Oil Content | |
| Unsaturated Fatty Acid | 50% |
| Linoleic | 35% |
| Oleic | 15% |
| Saturated Fatty Acid (Stearic and Plamitic acid) | 50% |
Step By Step Procedures On How To Cook Egusi Soup By Boiling Method
Below is the step-by-step procedures on how to cook egusi soup by boiling method.
- Firstly, make sure you thoroughly wash the ingredients and equipment you’d be using and also ensure to cover your hair properly.
- Toast the melon seed in a pot or pan and grind it after which you keep it aside.
- If you’re using red meat, ensure you wash the meat properly with salt and hot water and then parboil it and keep it aside. Also, do the same if you’re using fresh or dried fish.
- Slice your onions and grind the pepper depending on the quantity of the soup.
- Add the grounded pepper and oil and bring to a boil in a big pot over medium-high heat.
- While the pepper is boiling, grind the remaining onion into the ground melon, add the crayfish and add water/broth (start with a small quantity and work your way up) and combine everything together to form a paste.
- Carefully and gently scoop the egusi mixture into the boiled pepper and add seasoning powder/cube and salt then continue the cooking.
- Check if the mixture is too thick. If yes, add about half a cup of broth/water to loosen it up.
- Now, put the meat or fish you’re using into the mixture and add about half a cup of broth/water or more to loosen up the soup.
- Allow the meat or fish to absorb the soup and gently shake to lower the fish down the mixture without breaking apart.
- Continue to cook so as to allow the fish to absorb the mixture and cook.
- Thoroughly wash the bitter leave, ugu leave or any other vegetable you’re using, pull off the stem, chop and set aside.
- Observe closely to know when the meat or fish is fully cooked and gently remove and put onto a plate.
- Now, add the bitter leave or ugu vegetable leave and stir, check the seasoning and then gently return the fish back into the soup and shake.
- Taste the soup and check if everything is in the right proportion and readjust if necessary.
- Finally, turn off the heat and allow the soup to simmer.
- You can now serve this freshly prepared egusi soup delicacy alongside garri, fufu, pounded yam, semovita, wheat, etc depending on your choice.
- Now, Enjoy your delicacy.
How To Cook Egusi Soup With Lumps
Just as we stated earlier in this article that the egusi soup recipe can be prepared using many methods such as without frying method (boiling method), frying method, etc.
We’ve exclusively discussed how to cook egusi soup by boiling method above.
Now let’s have a quick look at how to cook egusi soup with lumps.
Ingredients For Cooking Egusi Soup With Lumps
Preparing egusi soup by the lumpy method is most common in the South–Eastern part of Nigeria.
However, here are the ingredients used in preparing egusi soup with lumps.
- Grounded egusi
- Onion bulbs
- Locust beans
- Pepper
- Palm Oil
- Vegetable (Bitter leave or Ugu leave)
- Crayfish
- Seasonings of your choice
- Salt
- Beef, Ponmo, Dry Fish, Fresh Fish, etc depending on your choice.
Note: These ingredients should be provided relative to the quantity of the lumpy egusi soup you want to prepare.
Procedures On How To Cook Egusi Soup Using Lumps
Below are the procedures of how to cook Egusi soup with lumps.
- Mix the grounded melon with blended onions depending on the quantity of soup you want to prepare and put it aside.
- Heat the palm oil in a pan and allow it to melt over medium heat.
- Add the blended onion and the locust beans.
- Allow the mixture to cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the blended pepper and cook till the water is reduced. This takes about 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Stir the mixture every 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Gently introduce the blended Egusi in small portions inside the sauce but don’t stir it at this point.
- Carefully cover it and leave it to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Monitor it closely so it doesn’t burn but don’t stir it until the Egusi is cooked.
- Thoroughly and gently stir together and add more stock or water if necessary.
- Season with salt and any other season of your choice.
- Add the fish or meat depending on your choice and leave to cook again for another 5 minutes.
- Introduce the bitter leave or ugu leave and allow it to simmer for about 2 minutes.
- At this point, off the heat and allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes before you bring it down.
- The Lumpy egusi soup is now ready and can be served with either garri, semo, fufu, or pounded yam depending on your preference.
Health Benefits Of Egusi
Apart from filling your belly and satisfaction, Did you know egusi has several health benefits too? We have listed some of them below:
- Improves Appetite
- Prevent Anemia
- Good for Bones
- Prevents Malnutrition
- Promotes Heart Health
- Improves Vision
- Reduces Inflammation
- Helps in Digestion
- Helps in Digestion
- Antioxidant properties
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cook egusi boil?
While boiling the Meat or fresh fish alongside stock fish, add the palm oil into so it can boil. Add the ponmo and the dried fish too. Add the blended the fresh pepper,tomato,onion into the boiling stock. Add the egusi powder and allow to boil for 10 minutes. Add Crayfish and locust beans
How do you make egusi soup not frying?
The details guide as been listed in this article.
How do I cook egusi soup with lumps?
Mix the ground melon (egusi) with 1 cup of blended onions. Heat the palm oil in a pan and allow it to melt over medium heat. Add the blended pepper and cook till the water is reduced. Gently introduce the blended Egusi in small portions inside the sauce but don't stir it at this point.
How do I thicken Egusi soup?
You can thicken Egusi soup by adding Achi. If you do not have achi, you can use cocoyam, ofo, akparata etc. to thicken the soup.
How long does Egusi soup last in the fridge?
Egusi soup can last in the fridge for three or four days and three months in the freezer.
Before We Go
Now you’ve known how to cook egusi soup boiling method and also how to cook egusi soup with lumps, you can now go ahead and prepare this sweet delicacy and enjoy it to your satisfaction.
It is also important to note that egusi soup can also be prepared by frying method with tomatoes, bitter leave, ugu leave, and other ingredients used in the boiling and lumpy methods of how to cook it as discussed above.