MY COOKING 001# : EGUSI SOUP AND POUNDED YAM

Most Nigeria egusi soup recipes are made using melon seeds, palm oil, vegetables and other condiments. And it's best enjoyed with pounded yam. And can also be used as a sauce and eaten with rice.

INGREDIENTS :-

• 3 cooking spoons red palm oil
• 500g of grounded egusi
• protein of choice -beef, shaki, (cow tripe)
• dry fish and stock fish
• 2 table spoons ground crayfish
• pepper and salt to taste
• ugu (pumpkin leaves) or bitter leaf
• bullion cubes
  *1 small ogiri okpe

DIRECTION:-

• boil your meat and fish with salt, ginger, onions and pepper till tender.
• pour the palm oil into a dry pot and set on the stove to hear, as soon as the oil melts, add the grounded egusi and start frying. As soon as the oil is translucent add the the egusi. Mix the grounded egusi with oil till every grain of egusi turns yellow.
• start stirring the egusi in low medium heat, keep stir-frying for about 10 minutes.
• add the meat 🍖 stock little by little while still stirring the soup, when the stock is exhausted and you feel that the soup is still too thick, you can start adding hot water in the same way till you get the consistency you want. If your choice of vegetable is bitter leaf, now is the time to add it.
• cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring at intervals, also top up water when necessary. If you don't stir it, it will burn. Cook for 30 minutes, you will know when the soup is done when you notice that the oil has seperated from the mix.
• Add the grounded crayfish and pepper, stir and add the Ugu.
• Stir very well and add the cooked stock fish, shaki, pomo and meat 🍖.
• Add salt if necessary, if it's not too thick, add some water to bring it to the consistency you like.
• Cover and leave to simmer.

IT'S BEST SERVE HOT WITH POUNDED YAM.