Name: Nigerian Melon Seed Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: ¾ cup Egusi Seeds, ground into a coarse powder; 350 g Goat Meat, cut into pieces; 2 cup Spinach, chopped; 2 tbsp Dendê Oil, red palm oil; 1 Onion, half for stock, half for blending; 1 Red Bell Pepper, roughly chopped; 1 Tomato, roughly chopped; ¼ Habanero Pepper, optional, use to taste; 2 clove Garlic, minced; ½ inch Ginger, grated; 2 cup Water, for stock and simmering; 1 tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 hrtotal

35 min hands-on25 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Method

Add goat meat, half the onion, salt, black pepper, and water to a pot. Simmer until the meat is nearly tender.
Blend the remaining onion with red bell pepper, tomato, and habanero into a coarse pepper base.
Heat red palm oil in a pan. Add garlic, ginger, and the blended pepper base, then cook until it thickens.
Add the cooked goat meat and its stock to the pepper base. Simmer for a few minutes so the flavors combine.
Mix ground egusi with a little warm stock to form a loose paste, then spoon it into the pot in small mounds.
Cover and simmer without stirring for a few minutes so the egusi sets slightly, then stir gently.
Add chopped spinach and simmer until the greens soften and the soup becomes thick and rich.

How to tell it's done

The soup should be thick and rich, with visible egusi curds, tender meat, and soft greens.

Getting it right

Tip

Let the egusi sit briefly before stirring; this creates soft curds instead of a thin grainy soup.

What to serve it with

Serve with pounded yam, cassava, rice, or boiled plantain.

Substitutions

Collard greens can replace spinach for a heartier texture.
Beef can replace goat meat if goat meat is unavailable.
Generic melon seeds are not always the same as egusi; use labeled egusi seeds when available.

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