comScore
ADVERTISEMENT

Egusi Soup and Pounded Yam

Egusi Soup and Pounded Yam
Yields
8 servings

Egusi soup is popular in Western Africa. The soup is thickened with ground melon, gourd, or squash seeds. Look for the seeds in African or International grocery stores. Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, can be substituted and are available in Latin American grocery stores. Yield is 8 servings.

ADVERTISEMENT

ingredients

Egusi Soup

2
lb(s) boneless goat meat, cut in bite-size pieces
dried fish, to taste
Coarse salt
2
medium onions, roughly chopped
4
maggi cubes, or other chicken bouillion cubes
3
cup water
4
fresh Jamaican chile peppers
dried shrimp, to taste
dried crayfish, to taste
2
cup melon seed
1
pkg frozen spinach, thawed (340 g)
½
cup palm oil
1
cup vegetable oil

Pounded Yam

2
cups purple yam flour
2
cup water
ADVERTISEMENT

directions

Step 1

Put the goat meat in a medium pot.

Step 2

Rinse the dried fish and add it to the pot.

Step 3

Add 1 onion, salt to taste and 2 maggi cubes.

Step 4

Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min.

Step 5

Meanwhile, put the chile peppers and the remaining onion in a blender and puree.

Step 6

Scrape the onion pepper mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Step 7

Put the shrimp, crayfish and melon seed in a clean blender and blend until a powder forms.

Step 8

Put it in a bowl and set aside.

Step 9

Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach and set aside.

Step 10

After 30 minutes, check the meat.

Step 11

If it is still tough, add more water to the pot so that cooking liquid covers the meat.

Step 12

Continue to cook until the goat is fork tender, add the onion pepper mixture and cook 15 minutes.

Step 13

Reduce heat to medium and add the melon seed mixture.

Step 14

Cook 30 minutes longer and add the spinach, the oils and the 2 remaining maggi cubes.

Step 15

Cover it and cook for another 15 minutes.

Step 16

Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil on high heat.

Step 17

Turn the heat to medium and stir in the pounded yam flour.

Step 18

Keep stirring until it is smooth and soft. If it is really thick, add some hot water. It will have a similar texture to polenta.

Step 19

Serve the pounded yam on plates and serve with bowls of egusi soup.

Step 20

Dip the pounded yam into the egusi soup.

Rate Recipe

My rating for Egusi Soup and Pounded Yam
ADVERTISEMENT