The staples in the Nigerian diet include: peanuts or groundnuts, yams, cassava, fish, rice, okra, bananas, corn and guinea millet, and palm nuts.
They are usually starchy and Nigerians love to cook with lots of pepper and spices, especially those from the Southwest and Southeast. This recipe uses all the local ingredients to create a tasty and nutritious meal.
The ground Egusi seeds give this soup a unique color and flavor. If you cannot find Egusi seeds in your store, you can substitute pumpkin seeds or Pepitas that you can find in grocery stores in Latin America. This soup is thickened with flour ground from the seeds of squash, melons, squash, and squash, many of which are native to Africa.
Egusi soup
200 g of water leaves
50 g Egusi seeds
1 teaspoon dried ground red pepper
1 medium onion
100 ml palm oil
10g dried crayfish
120 g of fresh tomatoes
100 ml of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the water leaves well with clean, cool water.
Blend or powder the onions, tomatoes and egusi seeds until smooth.
Add the dried ground pepper and sauté in palm oil for five minutes.
Add the water, cover and cook for five minutes.
Now add the leaves of water, cover again and cook for five more minutes.
Finally, add the crayfish and seasoning, heating well.
Serve with mashed yams or cooked rice and a meat stew, for protein.
Alternatively, serve with eba, fufu, or any suitable carbohydrate.
With thanks to the people of Nigeria who welcomed us and instilled in us a love for traditional Nigerian food.