(From Nigeria) MAKING EGUSI SOUP:::THE STEP BY STEP

                 Pealed Egusi Seeds                                                              Dried Egusi Seeds

In Nigeria,Egusi Soup is one of the most commonly made Delicacy. It is eaten by most if no all tribes in
Nigeria and even some neighboring African countries like Ghana,Cameroon,Niger Republic e.t.c

Before i go futher,you need to know what the Egusi or dry African melon seed is or look like...

The Egusi is the main Ingredient in the preparation of this soup..Now lets meet the other Ingredients......

* Meat (Beef)

* Cow Skin (Also known as Kpomor)

* Stock fish (kpanla)

* Fish  (Smoked or Fresh fish)

* Blended Cray fish

* Blended red pepper(4 big balls)

* 2 big Onion balls

* Neatly sliced Ugwu Leaves

* Red oil (palm oil)

* Maggi Cubes to taste

* Salt and of course Water

             

                Sliced Ugwu leaves                                             kpomor(Cow Skin)                       

          

                                                 

                                                            kpanla or Stuck fish

Now there are different ways of preparing this soup,based on the different Tribes and Earthnic groups in Nigeria...As for me i love to make mine this way.....

- Firstly,you wash your Meat,Fish,Stuck Fish and Cow skin(aka Kpomor) with salt and warm Water,then you put them in a neat Pot an per-boil them with meat Spices,Maggi,Salt,Onion an little Water for about 8 - 10 minutes then remove from fire..
- Next,put your well blended Egusi in a bowl and add some Water. Stir it with a Spoon continuously to a paste form..
- Put some amount of Palm oil in a Pot and put on Fire.Allow it heat up for 2min,then add your Egusi and fry for another 3 - 4mins to a lightly Brown color..
- Add some water to the frying Egusi on the fire.Cover the pot and allow to cook for the next 4mins.
- Open the pot and add your per-boiled Meat,Fish,Stuck fish,Smoked fish and blended Cray Fish(that is if you did not blend your cray Fish together with your Egusi)..Also add your Maggi cubes and Salt to taste..(At this point you want to be careful so you dont add too much Salt and Maggi to the soup,because you already boiled the meat and Fish with Salt and Maggi already).cover the pot and Allow it to Cook for the next 4mins.
- Open pot afterwards and add your well washed and sliced Ugwu leave,then cover pot again and allow it to cook for last 2-3mins..then open your soup,turn it properly with your cooking Spoon so the leaves and ingredients will mix up well..
- And then you are done...You can serve it with semolina,pounded yam,garri etc...
                       When you are done it should look like these..
                                   

  

                                       
                                                                

                                                                     Hmmmmmm.......Yummy