Egusi Elefo (Nigerian Melon Seed And Vegetable Soup)
Hello Guys! *Tenders apologies*. I know someone just whispered “as usual”. My excuse this time is that I am in my last semester of my school work (Yay!). It’s been challenging. I’ve only had time to cook at home properly for the first time this year this passing weekend.
Onto today’s dish; Egusi Soup. It is in no way an original recipe. It has been there probably since the Garden of Eden. Trust me, life is incomplete without Egusi soup.
I made this with all of my heart, because it is a cacophony of meats, flavors and textures as any good soup should be . This soup is made in different ways depending on the part of Nigeria it is being made. I am from Western Nigeria and this is the time saving way I make mine. I got a full pot which I will show you at the end. You can tweak the measurements in this recipe depending on the number of hungry friends or flatmates you have that suddenly become friendly when you are cooking.
Ingredients
- Salt
- 2 Onions
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- Goat Meat Parts
- Cameroon Pepper
- 3 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
- 5 Cooking Spoons Palm Oil
- Smoked turkey
- Shaki (Tripe)
- 2 Bunches of Mustard Greens
- 3 Cups Ground Melon Seeds (Egusi)
- Bokoto (Cow-leg)
- Ponmo (Cow Skin)
Making this soup can be as easy as pie or as difficult as trying to build Rome in one day. I spent between 35 to 40 minutes in total making this. Hence if I can you can. Yes we can *does the Obama hand wave*. Dang I miss that man.
Directions
- Wash all of your meats and season with salt, Cameroon pepper, scotch bonnet, an onion bulb, two cloves garlic and two Maggi cubes. Add about two cups of water and cook till desired softness. (Yes, you guessed right I ate four pieces to check if it was seasoned and properly cooked). When cooked, set aside and let the meat soak up the stock.
- In a separate pan, you will be making your egusi paste. Chop up an onion finely, and add it to your dry Egusi, add tablespoons of water gradually and mix it all up till it forms a very thick dough-like paste. In this pan add about three spoons of Palm Oil and fry this mix on low heat for five minutes.
- In another pot, heat up one spoon of palm oil and add your meats in and stir. You would see the meats give off some stock and that is fine. It adds to the flavor.
- Now you grab the pan with the fried Egusi and pour it into the pot with the meats then stir it up allow to simmer for five minutes or till you get impatient.
- Wash your mustard greens and cut them finely. Add them into the pot and stir well till it’s all mixed properly.
- Let sit and simmer for three minutes.
That’s all. I’m serious, it’s that easy. 
