HOW TO PREPARE NIGERIAN EGUSI SOUP(with health benefits)

HOW TO PREPARE EGUSI SOUP A NIGERIAN MEAL

Nigerian Egusi soup is a delicious Nigerian soup that is made with ground melon seeds and enriched with assorted meat, fish and spices.
It is also popular in other parts of West Africa and the cooking methods differ everywhere.

DIFFERENT METHODS PREPARATION

The common methods for cooking Egusi Soup include:
METHOD 1: Egusi soup cooked with vegetables (either spinach/ugu, bitter leaves or a combination of both.

METHOD 2: Egusi soup cooked without vegetables.

METHOD 3: Frying the ground egusi seeds before adding the palm oil and condiments.

METHOD 4: Boiling the assorted meat and fish, then adding the ground egusi seeds, with or without vegetables

You can try out the different methods (if you can), and you'll realize that the cooking methods are simply a matter of preference. All that really matters is getting it right and making sure that the ground egusi seeds are properly cooked/fried, to get the raw taste out.

INGREDIENTS

** 1 cup ground Egusi/melon seeds
** 500g assorted meat of choice (tripe/shaki,beef, chicken, cow's skin/ponmo)
** 200g assorted fish (stock fish, dried fish)
** 150 g Fresh fish ( 1 medium sized mackerel fish will do)
** 750g Spinach leaves/Ugu/collard greens
** 1 medium sized onion bulb.
** 1/2 cup palm oil (2 cooking-spoonful)
** 1 teaspoonful ground chili pepper/fresh scotch bonnet(atarodo)
** 1 teaspoonful ground Crayfish
** 2 bouillon/stock cubes (seasoning cubes)
** Salt to taste

FOR COOKING THE SOUP

**Grind the egusi seeds until smooth. Place in a bowl and dissolve with a little lukewarm water to form a paste.
 Dissolving the egusi is optional, but it helps to reduce burning when frying in the oil.

** Slice the vegetables and set aside

** Wash and season the assorted meat and fish with sliced onions, one stock cube (and any other meat seasoning of choice) and salt to taste. Cook until tender and set aside. Reserve the meat stock.

* Heat up the oil in a pot until hot. Add the dissolved Egusi paste and fry, stirring constantly until the soup begins to thicken. Fry for about 15  to 20 minutes or when you notice the oil rise to the top of the egusi.

* Add the meat stock, mix thoroughly and leave to boil for 10 minutes.

* Add the ground pepper, crayfish, stock cube and the cooked assorted meat & fish and cook for 10 minutes.

* Next, add the fresh fish and cook until the fish is done.

* Then, add the sliced vegetables and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes and the soup is ready.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGUSI SOUP

1.   Its fiber content keeps cholesterol and heart disease under control.

2.   It prevents diseases like the type2 diabetes and obesity.

3.   It contains sulfur compounds; chromium and vitamin B6 which helps prevent heart disease by lowering high homocysteine level.

4.   It contains iron which helps in forming hemoglobin that transports oxygen to different parts of the body.

5.   It aids the production of antibodies that helps protect the body from infections.