Egusi Soup: A Masterclass in Nigeria's Greatest Dish

Egusi soup is what is served when someone important comes to the house. It is what children ask for on birthdays. It is what the diaspora dreams of on a rainy Tuesday in London. Made correctly — ground melon seeds toasted in palm oil, simmered with stockfish, crayfish and leafy greens — it becomes something no restaurant can replicate. Only home can do this.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

• 500g Mama Heritage Ground Egusi
• 200ml red palm oil
• 500g ugu leaves — Ogaoga Ugu Leaves 500g
• Locust beans, dried crayfish
• Assorted meat — shaki essential; stockfish
• 3 Jumbo cubes, scotch bonnets, salt

Method

1. Fry the Egusi (The Technique That Makes or Breaks the Dish)

Mix ground egusi with water to a thick paste. Heat palm oil until shimmering. Drop egusi in spoonfuls — do not stir. Fry 4–5 minutes until the base turns golden, then flip. This toasted crust prevents gritty, raw egusi. Once golden, break apart and stir into the oil.

2. Build the Flavour

Add blended peppers and onion. Add stock, parboiled meat, stockfish, locust beans, crayfish and Jumbo. Simmer 20 minutes. The oil rising to the top confirms it is cooked through.

3. Greens Last

Add ugu leaves 5 minutes before serving only. They must stay vibrant green with slight bite — not grey and lifeless.

Serve with MP Poundo Iyan, Semovita or eba.

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