Egusi soup is a popular Nigeria soup that contains ground egusi (African Melon seed), assorted meat, vegetable, fish and spices. It is commonly eaten with pounded yam, fufu, eba and wheat meal. Bitterleaf, pumpkin leaves and spinach are typical vegetables used for egusi soup. Meats usually included in egusi soup are beef, goat, fish, shrimp or crayfish
There are different methods of preparing egusi soup. One of them which is mostly done is the caking method which involves putting the ground egusi in the pan before the oil. This is the easiest method. There’s also the frying method which is frying the egusi and then stirring at different intervals before adding the other spices. The caking method is healthier because it requires less amount of red oil. There is a final method which involves molding some of the ground egusi into small balls while the remaining ground egusi is cooked using the caking method.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Egusi seeds comprises of oil (unsaturated fatty acid), and protein. Rich in vitamin A which helps in the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones.
Also has vitamins B1 and B2 that are vital for body growth and the production of red blood cells. Vitamin C which helps8 the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue.
It also has Niacin which maintains healthy skin. Since these seeds have a high protein content, they are a great substitute for meat.
