West African Egusi Soup

Season and cook the meat in a pot with some chopped onions, stock cubes, and salt until tender. If using smoked fish, add it toward the end of cooking the meat. Remove the meat and fish, but reserve the stock.

In a large pot, heat the palm oil over medium heat until hot. Add half of the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

In a bowl, mix the ground egusi with the remaining raw onions and a little water to form a paste. Add this paste to the pot with heated oil and stir continuously for about 10 minutes until the egusi starts to curdle and release its oils.

Add the meat stock, ground crayfish, locust beans (if using), ground red pepper, and blended habanero peppers. Stir well to combine.

Return the cooked meat and fish to the pot. Add more water if necessary to achieve desired soup consistency. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Add the dried shrimp or dried fish if using. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the chopped vegetables (bitter leaf, pumpkin leaves, and waterleaf or their substitutes). Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are wilted but still vibrant.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water or stock to reach your preferred consistency.

Remove from heat and let the soup sit for about 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld together.

Serve hot with pounded yam, fufu, eba (garri), or rice.