EGUSI

EGUSI

Why Egusi? Egusi is also an excellent source of nutritional minerals and vitamins such as carboahydrate, protein, fat, zinc, vitamin B1 (Thiamine), dietary fibre, sulphur, magnesium, vitamins B2 (Riboflavin), niacin and manganese.

Health benefits of Egusi seeds

Provides essential amino acids:

Amino acids, which are not readily available in the body like arginine and lysine, have to be obtained from other sources. Egusi seeds are a great source of these amino acids. Arginine helps in regulating metabolism and improves the cardiovascular system. Lysine helps in the formation of collagen and connective tissues in the body.

Power packed with protein:

Anyone, who is looking for a food source high in protein, must have these seeds in his or her diet, especially, people looking to build pure muscle like professional body builders. Proteins are essential for the maintenance of muscles, and Egusi contains around 100 grams of seeds that contain about 30 grams of protein. It is also low in calories. Hence, it is very good for those who are looking to shed some fat. Protein deficiency diseases like marasmus and kwashiorkor can be cured by proper intake of these seeds.

RECIPES

One of the recipes egusi can be used for, is making a soup. Yeah!!!

Let's make Egusi soup.

MAKING EGUSI SOUP

Ingredients

• 4½ cups (600g) Egusi (Melon) seeds
• 2 cooking spoons red palm oil
• Beef: Best cut and Shaki (cow tripe)
• Fish: Dry Fish and Stock Fish
• 3 tablespoons ground crayfish
• Pepper and Salt (to taste)
• Vegetable: Nigerian pumpkin leaves, spinach or bitter leaves
• 3 small stock cubes
• 1 Ogiri Okpei (traditional locust bean seasoning: optional)
• Important cooking equipments

Before you cook Egusi Soup (Caking Method)

Before preparing the soup, soak the dry fish for about half an hour. If you are using the very tough stockfish, boil it for 20 minutes and leave in the pot with the hot water to soak for about an hour. If using the softer stockfish, you can just soak them in cool water till you can break them apart with your hands.

When the fish and stockfish are soft, debone and break them into sizeable chunks.

Much closer to your cooking time, grind the egusi with a dry mill. Grind the crayfish and the dry pepper separately and set aside. Wash the vegetable to be used. Cut into tiny pieces.

Boil the shaki, stock fish and dry fish in 1 litre of water with the stock cubes till they are well done. First sign of a done shaki is that the cuts will start curling on itself.

Wash the beef to be used for the soup, add it to the pot and cook on medium heat till done.

Cooking Directions: Caking Method

This method produces a healthier egusi soup as there is no frying involved. It requires less oil too.

In this method, as soon as the shaki, fish and meat are done, remove them from the stock (water used in cooking the meat and fish) and place in a different pot or plate.

Add the ground egusi to the stock and stir. If the stock from cooking your meat and fish is not enough to give you a medium consistency, add some water to get the consistency of evaporated milk or a bit thicker. It will not be as smooth as evaporated milk though.

Cover and cook till the egusi cakes. Stir and add a little bit more water. watch it closely so that it does not burn.

Repeat step 3, adding only a small quantity of water at a time. After about 25 minutes, you will notice the clear egusi oil coming to the surface of the soup.

Add the red palm oil and bitter leaves (if it is your choice of vegetable), pepper and salt to taste and cook for about 7 minutes. You know it is good to continue when the palm oil and egusi forms a good blend of light yellow colour.

Add the cooked meat and fish. If using pumpkin leaves or any other soft vegetable, add it at this time and stir the soup.

Add salt to your taste, stir and leave to simmer for 2 minutes maximum.

Turn off the heat. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

The egusi soup is ready to be served with Semovita, Garri, Akpu,etc....

Don't forget to us…

Let us know how your egusi turned out.

See you next week!