Nigerian Egusi Soup with Pounded Yam
Rich, nutty ground melon-seed stew with flaky smoked fish and tender spinach, served alongside smooth, comforting pounded yam.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Equipment
- •large heavy-bottomed pot
- •medium saucepan
- •wooden spoon
- •whisk
- •measuring jug
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 62 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 640 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix the ground egusi with 100 ml of warm water in a bowl to form a thick paste.
- 2
Heat the red palm oil in a large pot over medium heat on the hob for two minutes.
- 3
Add the chopped onions and scotch bonnet chilli, frying gently until soft and fragrant.
- 4
Scoop small spoonfuls of the egusi paste into the hot oil without stirring immediately.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the egusi curdle for ten minutes.
- 6
Gently stir to break the egusi into soft, distinct lumps.
- 7
Pour in the beef stock, ground crayfish, flaked smoked catfish, and crumbled seasoning cubes.
- 8
Simmer on low heat for fifteen minutes until the soup thickens and oil floats on top.
- 9
Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for three minutes until just wilted, then season with salt.
- 10
Bring 600 ml of water to the boil in a separate saucepan over medium heat.
- 11
Gradually add the pounded yam flour, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth and stretchy.
- 12
Mould the warm pounded yam into smooth mounds and serve immediately with hot egusi soup.
Chef's tips
Avoid stirring the egusi paste immediately after adding it to the oil so it forms desirable soft curds rather than dissolving completely. If the pounded yam forms lumps, add a splash of boiling water and knead firmly against the saucepan sides with a wooden spoon.
Ingredient substitutions
- smoked dried catfish → smoked mackerel fillets
- fresh spinach → shredded bitterleaf or cavolo nero
- pounded yam flour → garri (cassava granules) prepared as eba
Storage
Store leftover egusi soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, preparing fresh pounded yam when ready to eat.
Reheating
Reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overheating the palm oil until it smokes and bleaches, which loses its characteristic nutty flavour.
- •Adding all the yam flour at once without vigorous beating, creating stubborn dry lumps.
- •Overcooking the spinach until it discolours and loses freshness.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Nigerian Egusi Soup with Pounded Yam?
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