Egusi soup

Ingredients:
4 cups Egusi
3 cooking spoons red palm oil
Beef: best cut and Shaki (cow tripe)
Fish: dry fish and stockfish
2 tablespoons ground crayfish
Pepper and Salt (to taste)
Vegetable: pumpkin leaves, spinach or bitter leaf
3 small stock cubes
1 small ogiri okpei (optional)

Note: You may need more palm oil; You want the quantity of palm oil that will turn every grain of the ground egusi yellow. If you use chicken, please do not use dry fish and stockfish because those two can’t co-exist with chicken. If you’re using bitterleaf, add it a bit earlier because it is a tough vegetable; perboil your meat, fish or chicken using your favourite egusi soup spices.

Cooking time!

-Pour the red palm oil into a dry pot and set on the stove to heat. As soon as the oil melts, add the ground egusi and start frying.
-Mix the ground egusi with oil till every grain of egusi turns yellow. Stir for about 10 mins.
-Add the meat/fish stock (water from cooking the fish and meat) little by little while still stirring the egusi.
-Add your already washed or cooked stock fish; stir gently and add water if soup is too thick.
-If your choice of vegetable is bitter leaf, add it at this time.
-Cover the pot and cook for 20 mins, stir. Also, top up the water when necessary.
-The egusi is done when you notice that the oil has separated from the mix.
-Once you are happy that it is done, add the ground crayfish and pepper. Stir and add the pumpkin leaves or spinach.
-Stir very well and add the cooked stockfish, shaki and meat.
-Add salt if necessary. If it is too thick, add some water to bring it to a consistency you like.
-Cover and leave to simmer and it is ready

-Serve with your favourite swallow…😊