How Make Lumpy Egusi Soup
Egusi soup is one of the most iconic dishes in West African Nigeria precisely, but the Igbos in the Eastern part of Nigeria are well known with this delicious Soup. This special soup is obtained from the ground seeds of melon known as egusi and it possesses a very rich and highly flavorful taste to it and it can be prepared in so many ways based on ones ideal region or taste. When it comes to egusi soup one can prepare it with lumps, which refer to small and tender balls of egusi, which give the soup a great body and taste that has a slight hint of nuts.
To some, ensuring that you have those perfect egusi lumps may appear very daunting especially if it is the first time that a person is preparing the meal. However, as you will find out, preparing a good egusi soup need not be a difficult business as long as one knows how to go about it in the right manner and at the right time. Here we will go through exactly what you have to do in each step of the process and we will encourage you along the way.
What are Egusi Lumps?
Egusi lumps are made by grinding melon seeds then making a paste for it by adding water or oil to it and then boiling or frying it for few minutes to form lumps that are small in size. These lumps also transform the soup to be more interesting; it becomes more filling as well. The lumps also absorb the taste in the meat, fish and spices in the soup each every time one takes a bite, it is full of taste.
Lumpy egusi soup is usually eaten with swallow foods such as pounded yam, fufu or eba (garri), thus, satisfying, hearty and enjoyed by every Nigerian and many others.
Ingredients for Egusi Soup with Lumps
As a preparation for our practice, let us prepare all the ingredients that are necessary for the dough this recipe will require. Each of these ingredients is meant for a group of 4-6 people so adjust the proportions with the crowd you will be hosting.
Ingredients:
- Egusi (Ground Melon Seeds): 2 cups
- Beef or Goat Meat: 1 lb (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- Stockfish: 1-2 pieces (optional, but adds rich flavor)
- Dried Fish: 1 cup (optional)
- Palm Oil: 1/2 to 3/4 cup
- Crayfish (Ground): 2 tablespoons
- Fresh Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Pepper: 1-2 (adjust based on spice preference)
- Onions: 1 large (chopped)
- Bouillon Cubes (Maggi or Knorr): 2 cubes (or to taste)
- Salt: To taste
- Water or Broth: 4-5 cups
- Seasoning (Curry Powder, Thyme, Ground Pepper): 1 tablespoon each
- Fresh or Smoked Prawns: 1/2 cup (optional)
- Leafy Greens: 2-3 cups (you can use spinach, ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves), or bitter leaf)
Instructions for Cooking Egusi Soup with Lumps
Step 1: Prepare Your Proteins
That’s why egusi soup usually incorporates all sorts of meats and fish for added taste. The first step is to know how exactly to cook your proteins to the kind of tenderness that you expect.
- Boil the Meat: In a large cooking pot, put your beef or goat meat, sufficient water, salt, 1 bouillon cube, curry powder and thyme. Include it to a boil over medium heat and continue heating till the meat softens. This should take between half an hour to 40 minutes. If you are using stockfish, put it mid cooking time so that it can become tender.
- Dried Fish (Optional): Before frying the dried fish, you have to soak the fish in warm water for a duration of 10-15 minutes for it to soften and become elastic. Wash and drain and then let it stay.
- Reserve the Broth: After that the meat is tender, the meat can be scooped out of the pot and put aside. Set the broth aside as it is going to be used later to season the soup.
Step 2: Prepare the Egusi Paste for Lumps
If you want your egusi soup to be thick with lumps then you have to learn how to prepare the paste right.
- Mix the Egusi: Dry the grounded egusi in another bowl and afterwards add a small quantity of water to make a paste. To the paste you can also mix some ground crayfish and chopped onions which will add more flavor to the sauce. it should be thick enough that when scooped by the spoon, the material does not fall off nicely, like in the video below.
- Optional Oil Mixture: While preparing it, some of the cooks use the palm oil instead of water to coat the egusi. It also gives added flavour and colour to the lumps which is good. If you prefer to do this, all that you are supposed to do is to pour a proportionate amount of palm oil into the ground egusi until it thickens into a paste.
Step 3: Fry the Egusi to Form Lumps
Now that the egusi paste is prepared we proceed to fry it. Frying the egusi in the first place aids in formation of the lumps and the surface is crispy while inside he is soft.
- Heat the Palm Oil: At this point, the remaining palm-oil is heated in a large pot on moderate heat. In egusi soup for example, palm oil is used in preparing the soup since it contributes to the color and taste of the soup. After the oil is hot and hot enough but not smoking, add the onions that have been chopped then continue to fry for 2-3 minutes until they turn transparent.
- Add the Egusi Paste: With a spoon take small portions of the egusi paste and drop it in the hot oil. Don’t stir immediately. With minimal interference let the egusi lumps fry for a few minutes before they start to solidify. After approximately 5-7minutes, you should carefully turn the lumps in order that they are well cooked from all sides. To make the vegetable fluffy and soft fry it for another 5 minutes until the lumps are golden brown.
Step 4: Add the Pepper and Broth
The process of preparation of egusi soup is made easy by frying the egusi lumps where flavor is also added to the mixture.
- Blend the Pepper: You can now add a few drops of water to the pepper and mash it to form a thick paste or sauce if you wish to include onions alternatively squish the onions and add them into the pepper mix. Always bear in mind, that you have to tweak the volumes of pepper depending on your tolerance for spices.
- Add to the Pot: Take the fried egusi lumps and mix the blended pepper into the pot where you fried the egusi lumps. Allow it to cook for another 5 minutes in order to soften and to let the aromatic flavours mix well.
- Pour in the Broth: Slowly fold in the reserved broth from the boiled meat which the beef was initially boiled in. Stir well and let the soup stand on the heat for about 10-15 minutes while on a low heat source. The broth will assist in reducing on the hardness of the egusi lumps and thicken as well as enrich the soup.
Step 5: Add the Meat and Fish
It is now possible to return the proteins into the pot whereby the egusi is boiling moderately.
- Add the Meat and Fish: As you would have your meat well cooked, put it, the stockfish and the dried fish into the pot if you have any. Mix all the ingredients properly in such a way that the proteins get to spread all over the soup.
- Simmer the Soup: Another 10-15 minutes of the soup, bringing it to a boil simmer all of the flavours. Make sure they stir occasionally especially when they are simmering so that they do not stick at the bottom of the pot.
Step 6: Add the Leafy Greens
That is the final part of the procedure of preparing your egusi soup and the last thing that has to be added to the pot. These contribute colour, nutrients and body to the soup.
- Add the Greens: Wash and slice your preferred choice of the vegetables including spinach, Ugu or bitter leaf. Take the greens and mix them with the soup and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Greens do not require a long cooking time and any greens that are boiled should be done so, sparingly.
- Final Seasoning: Try the soup and now is the time to fix it if it is ”salty to the taste”. You can also add more salt, more bouillon cubes or even more pepper if you wish to.
Step 7: Serve Your Egusi Soup with Lumps
It is now time to feast you dish son Egusi Soup with Lumps! It is best suited to be eaten with any choice of first or second staple, be it pounded yam, fufu, eba (garri)
Tips for First-Time Cooks
If you’re flipping through this page, it is probably because you’ve prepared egusi soup with lumps for the first time and therefore it can be a bit challenging at first. Here are some few tips that will enable you come up with a tasty meal that everybody will enjoy.
- Forming the Lumps: The important issue when preparing the egusi lumps is to ensure that the paste formed is paste like. It should be rather stiff to shape but not so stiff that it cannot be easily spooned into the pot. In case of very watery paste, the lumps will have no chance and will be dissolved in the soup.
- Don’t Stir Too Early: When frying the egusi lumps do not stir it as soon as it is in the fryer should not be done. After placing the lumps in hot oil allow it to remain for a couple of minutes before stirring. It assists in the retention of the shape of the lumps.
- Balance the Oil: But the soup requires palm oil for flavor as well as color and yet if added in excess it will make the soup appear greasy. Only take the amount that is prescribed, you may get more than you bargained for in terms of taste or effect.
- Season Gradually: If you use bouillon cubes you should begin with putting a lesser amount of salt and gradually increase it as you continue cooking the soup. This will prevent over-seasoning.
- Keep Stirring: That is why egusi soup if left to cool on the stove bottom will form a thick layer at the bottom of the pot. Also, don’t forget it is important to stir the soup from time to time especially after putting in the broth and the proteins.
- Don’t Overcook the Greens: Add your greens towards the end of the cooking time so that they got just enough heat to wilt. When cooked for too long the color and texture will diminish and this is one of the things we strongly avoid.
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you were not very particular with the lumps, do not worry because you can adjust it subsequently. When preparing egusi soup with lumps the process is quite simple but requires practicable utmost care.
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