Vegetarian Egusi Soup
This recipe is simple, absolutely delicious and a perfect introduction to Nigerian food and West African ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup red palm oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 scotch bonnet
- 1 tomato
- 1.5 red bell pepper
- 1.5 tsp iru/dawa dawa/ fermented locust beans powder
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder I use the Knorr brand
- 1 tbsp of vegetarian better than bouillon paste
- 1 tsp mushroom+nori powder
- 1/2 tsp uziza seeds
- 1 cup egusi
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 cup of dried shiitake mushrooms
- a few fresh oyster mushrooms
- 1/2 block of extra firm tofu
- 1.5 cups of hot water
- 3/4 cup room temperature water
- A few dried uziza leaves optional
- 1 box of frozen spinach
Instructions
- Soak your dried shiitake mushroom in the cup of hot water with the uziza leaves till soft
- In a pot at medium heat, heat your red palm oil
- Add in your diced onions and let it cook till soft.
- As the onions are cooking, blend the bell pepper, scotch bonnet and tomato into a purée.
- Once the onions are soft, add in your pepper mix and your spices (uziza seeds, iru, mushroom + nori powder + vegetable bouillon powder).
- Mix everything well and let it cook for 15 minutes. This fries the pepper base well and the oil will start to separate.
- While the stew is cooking, grind your melon seeds and mix with the salt and 3/4 cup room temperature water.
- At this point, add in your better than bouillon paste, pour in your mushroom, uzziza leaf, water mix and crumble the tofu into the stew. Cover and cook for a 2-3 minutes.
- Add in your fresh mushrooms then pour in your egusi mixture.
- Reduce the temperature to medium-low and let your egusi cook for 25 minutes till it is nice and eggy. I cooked it uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the water evaporate. Do not mix!!. Reduce the heat if you find that the bottom might be burning.
- After 25 minutes, mix in the frozen spinahc and cook till thawed.
- Serve with Eba, pounded yam or boiled yam