Egusi Soup
A rich, hearty West African soup made with ground melon seeds (egusi) simmered with tomatoes, palm oil, leafy greens, and assorted proteins. Deeply savory and satisfying, it is typically served over fufu, pounded yam, or rice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground egusi (melon seeds) or hulled pumpkin seeds, ground, finely ground
- 1/3 cup red palm oil (or substitute refined coconut oil)
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
- 4 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (to taste), seeded for less heat
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 4 cups fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed), roughly chopped
- 2 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp bouillon powder)
- 2 tbsp ground dried crayfish (optional, for authenticity)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
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1
Blend 4 roughly chopped Roma tomatoes, 1 roughly chopped red bell pepper, 1 seeded for less heat habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (to taste), and half the 1 roughly chopped yellow onion in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
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2
Season 2 lbs skin removed bone-in chicken thighs with 1 tsp kosher salt. Heat half the 1/3 cup red palm oil (or substitute refined coconut oil) in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
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3
Add the remaining palm oil and the rest of the chopped onion to the pot. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes.
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4
Pour in the blended tomato mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens and the oil separates to the edges, about 15 minutes.
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5
Stir in 2 cups finely ground ground egusi (melon seeds) or hulled pumpkin seeds, ground and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes until it absorbs the tomato base and smells nutty.
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6
Add the browned chicken, 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 2 chicken bouillon cube (or 1 tsp bouillon powder), and 2 tbsp ground dried crayfish (optional, for authenticity) if using. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the soup has thickened.
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7
Stir in 4 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed) and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust with salt. Serve hot over fufu, pounded yam, or steamed rice.