How To Cook Egusi Soup In 6 Different Ways

If there is anything the Nigerian wives and mothers have in abundance that has made their husbands stick with them with a proud utterance of the statement, “until death do us apart”, then it is their irresistible culinary skills. They wield this power so well it becomes practically impossible for love not to reign in such a home.

Most especially when it comes to cooking the egusi soup, it comes naturally to them. And how Nigerian guys (and even ladies) love this soup!

Want to cook this delicious soup for your guests at home or at a party? Don’t worry, we got your back.

In this article, you’re going to learn how to cook egusi soup in 6 different ways.

But before we go further, let’s have a look at the consumption of the popular, delicious soup in Nigeria.

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How to Cook Egusi Soup in Nigeria

The egusi soup is a popular dish in Nigeria. Among the Igbo, it is called Egwusi while the Hausas simply call it agushi. It is commonly served with pounded yam, semo and amala and eba (garri). In Nigeria, you often find goat meat and stockfish and sliced ponmo. Actually, it should go with whatever you’ve chosen, just that these are commonly found in any egusi soup in Nigeria.

The Nutritional Benefits of the Egusi Soup

As a plant food, the egusi soup contains zero cholesterol. It is rich in vitamin C and helps to boost your immune system. Not only that, it gives you healthy skin, making it radiant. Eating the egusi soup also boosts your brain function.

Can a Pregnant Woman Eat Egusi Soup?

Eating egusi soup has a lot of nutritional value. Yet it is normal for pregnant women to be careful of what to eat and what to avoid during pregnancy. But it is fine, if you’re pregnant, you can eat the egusi soup. No worries! In itself, the egusi (melon seeds) has no harmful effect on the pregnant woman, except the other flavors added that might spark some reactions.

Now that we’ve cleared the air on some of the questions you might have about the egusi soup, let’s jump right into how to cook egusi soup in Nigeria.

Let’s go there!

How to Cook Egusi Soup in Nigeria in 6 Different Ways

Now it’s time to unveil the secret of learning how to cook egusi soup. After reading it, you’d find the process so easy you’d want to start the cooking right away. Ready? Let’s start right away.

The different Varieties of Egusi Soup and How to Prepare Them

To be sure, here is a glimpse of the different methods you can explore as you cook the delicious egusi soup meal.

1. How to Cook Egusi Soup Boiling Method

As the name suggests, this type of egusi soup requires boiling. It’s very easy to prepare. In any case, the major thing you will need to do in the cooking process is boiling. Below is the recipe used and the cooking method.

Ingredients Required

2 cups of egusi (powdered)
2 ata rodo (pepper)
2 red pepper (tatashe)
1 onion
1 cup of palm oil
1 teaspoon of crayfish
Fish
1 cup of shredded dried fish
A small bowl of vegetable
A little iru (locust beans)
1 teaspoon of salt

Cooking Method

Use ground egusi (melon seed) that is already toasted
Wash the tatashe and rodo pepper thoroughly
You can use a big onion and slice it into two, then grind the sliced piece with the pepper
If using dried fish, add it to a bowl of salty hot water, the dirt will be sieved out
As the pepper boils in a big pot, grate the onion in a bowl of ground egusi and add crayfish and a little water and stir
Scoop the egusi into the boiling pepper
Put the fish in the soup and then shake gently with a spoon for thorough mixing
Add the vegetable and stir
Your food is ready, serve and enjoy it.

2. How to Cook Egusi Soup Frying Method

The next recipe is the egusi soup using the frying method. After trying out this recipe, you’d easily note the difference in taste and flavor of the egusi soup from the boiling one.

Ingredients Required

2 cups of egusi (blended)
2 ata rodo (pepper)
2 red pepper (tatashe)
2 onions
1 teaspoon of crayfish
Fish
Meat
2 cups of shredded dried fish
A small bowl of vegetable
A little iru (locust beans)
1 teaspoon of salt
Seasoning cube or powder
1 cup of palm oil

Cooking Method

Boil your meat and cook it well with onion, add seasoning powder and salt (you can fry it if you want)
Add the dried fish to a bowl of salty hot water so it can be washed
Heat and fry the sliced onion, add iru (locust beans)
Blend the egusi and add crayfish, grated onion, moderate quantity of water
Scoop small balls of the egusi, don’t stir yet until the egusi has absorbed the oil
Stir at intervals when the egusi is already gumming to the pot due to burnt
Blend the pepper with the second onion and add to the
Then add the fish, meat, crayfish and a cup of water
Leave to cook for a few more minutes
Add salt, seasoning powder and vegetable
Leave a few more minutes and egusi soup is ready
Serve and enjoy it

3. How to Cook Egusi Soup with Bitter Leaf

If you want to really dazzle your guest with the best Nigerian dishes, learn how to cook egusi soup with bitter leaves. It tastes great and provides a unique aroma you’d remember long after eating. It’s such an awesome recipe.

Ingredients Required

2 cups of egusi (blended)
2 red pepper (tatashe)
2 ata rodo (pepper)
2 onions
1 cup of palm oil
1 teaspoon of crayfish
Fish
Meat
1 cup of shredded dried fish
A small bowl of vegetable
A small bowl of bitter leaf
A little iru (locust beans)
1 teaspoon of salt
Seasoning cube or powder

Cooking Method

Start by boiling your meat and cook it well with onion, add seasoning powder and salt (you can fry it if you want)
Add the dried fish to a bowl of salty hot water so it can sieve the dirt out easily
Wash the bitter leaf thoroughly and change water severally until the bitterness is reduced to the barest minimum
Heat the palm oil until hot and add it
Blend the egusi and add crayfish, grated onion, moderate quantity of water
Blend the pepper with the onion and pour in the pot, let it boil for a while
Then add the fish, meat, crayfish and a cup of water
Leave to cook for a few more minutes
Add salt, seasoning powder and vegetable
Leave a few more minutes and egusi soup is ready
Serve and enjoy it

4. How to Cook Egusi Soup with Ugwu Leaf

It is one thing to know how to cook egusi soup. Knowing how to blend it with the ugwu leaf is another. This brings out a taste like no other.

Ingredients Required

2 cups of egusi (blended)
2 red pepper (tatashe)
2 ata rodo (pepper)
1 onion
1 cup of palm oil
1 teaspoon of crayfish
Fish
1 cup of shredded dried fish
A small bowl of ugwu leaf
1 teaspoon of salt
Seasoning cube or powder

Cooking Method

Add the dried fish to a bowl of salty hot water so you can easily sieve out the dirt
Wash the ugwu vegetable thoroughly remove dirt and stones
Heat the palm oil until hot and add onion and the egusi
Allow it to boil for a few minutes while stirring to let it thicken to some extent
Then add the ugwu vegetable and a little water, leave to simmer for a few minutes
Now add the crayfish, the fish, ground pepper and seasoning cubes and powder and salt
Leave to cook for a few more minutes
Food is ready! Serve it.

5. How to Cook Egusi Soup with Ogbono Soup

Ever tried cooking a combo of egusi soup and ogbono soup? Boy, you’d love it. If you’re craving for egusi and ogbono soup, why not get them in the same pot and see the magic it performs on your taste bud.

2 cups of egusi
1 cup of ogbono (blended)
Assorted meat
Dried fish
1 cup of palm oil
1 bowl of vegetable
1 small cup of ground crayfish
1 Chilly pepper (atarodo)
1 red pepper (tatashe)
Salt

Cooking Method

First, wash the meat and boil until soft enough to withstand the heat in the soup
Add the dried fish to a bowl of hot water and add a little salt to sieve out the dirt
Heat up some palm oil until hot
Add the ground egusi and allow to fry as you stir to dissolve the thickness
Leave to cook for a few minutes and as you notice oil gathering at the top of the egusi soup, turn off the heat
Next, in a separate pot, heat up the little palm oil that remains
Add the ground ogbono and stir consistently to dissolve the ogbono
Leave it for a few minutes and lower the heat
Add a little water from the boiled meat
Then check if it has started to draw
If so, leave it, turn off the heat
Now, add the fried egusi soup to the same pot as the ogbono soup and stir well
Leave it to cook for a few minutes
Add the assorted meat, fish, crayfish, seasoning cubes, pepper and salt
Mix very well and allow it to simmer for a few more minutes
Now add the vegetable and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
Food is ready! Enjoy it.

6. How to Cook Egusi Soup without Vegetables

Another style you can explore when cooking egusi soup is to do it without using any vegetables. Will it be fine? Yes, it is totally okay. In this case, the flavor of the fish and meat and other chewables added to it would be depended upon for the aroma and flavor.

Ingredients Required

2 cups of egusi (powdered)
2 ata rodo (pepper)
2 red pepper (tatashe)
1 onion
1 cup of palm oil
Meat
Titus fish
1 teaspoon of crayfish
1 cup of shredded dried fish
A little iru (locust beans)
1 teaspoon of salt

Cooking Method

Use ground egusi (melon seed) that is already toasted
Wash the tatashe and atarodo pepper thoroughly
Wash and boil the meat until soft to taste
Wash the Titus fish and remove the dirt, put it in a bowl
Put the dried fish in a bowl of salty hot water, the dirt will be sieved out
Heat up the palm oil until hot
Add some sliced onions
Scoop the egusi into the boiling oil and fry for a few minutes
Don’t forget to stir it consistently to stop it from gumming into the pot
Add the fish in the soup, then the crayfish, then the dried fish, then the meat and then shake gently with a spoon for thorough mixing
Add a little water from the cooked meat
Add the seasoning, pepper and salt and leave it to cook
Your food is ready, serve and enjoy it.

Nigerian soups excite the taste buds, you would know this when you attend owambe parties. The varieties of soups to choose from could make your stomach full in an instant. In short, merely looking at the different soups on display is enough satisfaction.

And when the egusi soup is now included, you’re game! Name it – is it with semo, pounded yam, amala and eba. The list goes on. You’d sure have a swell time!

So if you want to learn how to cook egusi soup yourself, avail yourself of our list of the various methods above.

Wrapping Up

The different Nigerian soups and delicacies have several health benefits and each is unique. Should you try your hand at cooking the egusi soup, you’d realize how easy it is to cook, especially when you carefully follow our simple guide on how to cook egusi soup in Nigeria.

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