I love cooking and I’m a good cook as well. Egusi Soup being one of my favorite is my current challenge and this only became a challenge after I ate the one cooked at a close by restaurant! Oh my!!!! It was the most delicious Egusi soup I have ever tasted. I was tempted to ask the owner how he cooked the Egusi but I thought that’d be disrespectful.


Please what is that special ingredient that makes the home cooked different from what I ate outside ? Trust me I think I cook it same way but I feel I’m missing something. Maybe the Egusi I buy or something...please help me out!

I currently have Egusi soup in my kitchen but I’m craving for the one in the restaurant close to me.

Below is the picture of what the restaurant Egusi looked like ;

My Igbo brothers and sisters, biko help me out ooo!!!

Nwanyiocha, come and camp in my room for One whole week. I assure you that at the end of the week, you will create another thread in celebration of having found the secret behind your quest.

Don't worry, we will teach you in our biafra republic

Go to those Igbo women that sell soup ingredients, tell them to grind your egusi with uziza seeds and Cameroon pepper, including crayfish.
The uziza seeds combined with the Cameroon pepper give the soup a spicy taste with a very pleasant aroma.

Mariangeles:
Go to those Igbo women that sell soup ingredients, tell them to grind your egusi with uziza seeds and Cameroon pepper, including crayfish.
The uziza seeds combined with the Cameroon pepper give the soup a spicy taste with a very pleasant aroma.

Oh wow! Thank you soooo muchhhh!!! God bless you.

Secondly, I thought grinding the Egusi with Crayfish would make it smooth and not form balls, it’s this true ?

Xilsbridalhouse:

Oh wow! Thank you soooo muchhhh!!! God bless you.

You're welcome. Amen.

Secondly, I thought grinding the Egusi with Crayfish would make it smooth and not form balls, it’s this true ?

Egusi being smooth or lumpy has nothing to do with crayfish. That depends on how you cook it.

The purpose of crayfish in grinding with egusi is that it helps get it all out of that manual grinder. (Egusi tend to get stuck in that manual grinder because of its oil)
Also, try not to add too much crayfish so that it doesn't overpower other flavours in the soup.

Mariangeles:


You're welcome. Amen.



Egusi being smooth or lumpy has nothing to do with crayfish. That depends on how you cook it.

The purpose of crayfish in grinding with egusi is that it helps get it all out of that manual grinder. (Egusi tend to get stuck in that manual grinder because of its oil)
Also, try not to add too much crayfish so that it doesn't overpower other flavours in the soup.

Wow! Thank you so much for this, would definitely try out this method. Thanks and God bless.

Xilsbridalhouse:

Wow! Thank you so much for this, would definitely try out this method. Thanks and God bless.

Lest I forget, when it comes to uziza seeds, less is more. So, try not to use too much of it. You will still smell and taste it in your soup.

When it comes to spices you haven’t tried out before in your cooking, it is safer to start off with hints of it, then you progress from there, than adding too much from the start, which might ruin your cooking and make you give up using it further.

You’re welcome. Amen.

Mariangeles:


Lest I forget, when it comes to uziza seeds, less is more. So, try not to use too much of it. You will still smell and taste it in your soup.

When it comes to spices you haven’t tried out before in your cooking, it is safer to start off with hints of it, then you progress from there, than adding too much from the start, which might ruin your cooking and make you give up using it further.

You’re welcome. Amen.

Thanks for coming to my rescue lol I’d follow your advice and hopefully I can come back here with positive feedbacks

By the way, I returned to the same restaurant today and guess what? The Egusi had a bizarre sour taste chai! I had to throw it out.

Xilsbridalhouse:

Thanks for coming to my rescue lol I’d follow your advice and hopefully I can come back here with positive feedbacks

Hopefully, it comes out well and you like it.

By the way, I returned to the same restaurant today and guess what? The Egusi had a bizarre sour taste chai! I had to throw it out.

Either a different cook made it this time or they're not consistent with their recipe.

Mariangeles:


Hopefully, it comes out well and you like it.



Either a different cook made it this time or they're not consistent with their recipe.

I guess the latter lol my hubby actually warned me about this so I sort of expected it lol


Thanks a whole lot.

Xilsbridalhouse:
My Igbo brothers and sisters, biko help me out ooo!!!

A little uzuza seed, fresh yellow pepper, it adds a good aroma and taste to the egusi soup. Then if u are using ugu for the vegetable, try and add a little uzuza leaf to it. The taste is heavenly. But if u are using bitterleaf no need for the uzuza leaf only the seed is okay.
Then another thing is okpei , it also add to the taste and aroma.
Grind the egusi,uzuza seed ,okpei,pepper and crayfish together.
But I prefer grindingy egusi separate then the uzuza seed, okpei,pepper and crayfish together.

To me oo...

I steam meat with onion, salt, maggi, curry and thyme. (You may use goat meat). Keep chopped pomo aside...


I heat palm oil in a pot and fry the egusi. When it's slightly sticky (2 minutes later, depending on the heat)
I add the meat stock, stir and add little water if the meat stock isn't enough.

Boil for 10 - 15 minutes, checking and stirring to avoid burning. Add the meat + chopped pomo + pepper (red) + pepper (black/cameroon) + Maggi + salt

Boil for 5 - 10 minutes, add ground crayfish + vegetables (Ugu)


I don't like fish in egusi soup, preferred separately. Some people add periwinkles, stock fish and if possible shark. Anything seafood (except crayfish/prawns) I don't like it in my egusi ( prepared separately)

Nkemella:

A little uzuza seed, fresh yellow pepper, it adds a good aroma and taste to the egusi soup. Then if u are using ugu for the vegetable, try and add a little uzuza leaf to it. The taste is heavenly. But if u are using bitterleaf no need for the uzuza leaf only the seed is okay.
Then another thing is okpei , it also add to the taste and aroma.
Grind the egusi,uzuza seed ,okpei,pepper and crayfish together.
But I prefer grindingy egusi separate then the uzuza seed, okpei,pepper and crayfish together.

Wooow!!! Thank you so much for your contribution and help! I’m definitely cooking it tomorrow by God’s Grace I cant wait already

Stephenmoka4:
To me oo...

I steam meat with onion, salt, maggi, curry and thyme. (You may use goat meat). Keep chopped pomo aside...


I heat palm oil in a pot and fry the egusi. When it's slightly sticky (2 minutes later, depending on the heat)
I add the meat stock, stir and add little water if the meat stock isn't enough.

Boil for 10 - 15 minutes, checking and stirring to avoid burning. Add the meat + chopped pomo + pepper (red) + pepper (black/cameroon) + Maggi + salt

Boil for 5 - 10 minutes, add ground crayfish + vegetables (Ugu)


I don't like fish in egusi soup, preferred separately. Some people add periwinkles, stock fish and if possible shark. Anything seafood (except crayfish/prawns) I don't like it in my egusi ( prepared separately)

The frying method...that was my mum’s method back then and the aroma from this method usually cause commotions back then with my neighbors lol I learnt it and afterwards it cleared off my brain. I’ll try it again . Thank you so much.

Xilsbridalhouse:

Oh wow! Thank you soooo muchhhh!!! God bless you.

Secondly, I thought grinding the Egusi with Crayfish would make it smooth and not form balls, it’s this true ?

If you want those balls, roll it into lumps into the soup or fry the egusi with little meat stock mixture

frozen70:


If you want those balls, roll it into lumps into the soup or fry the egusi with little meat stock mixture

Thank you so much !!!

Are you preggers? If yes, my dear your taste buds may just be playing pranks on you . That said, try using Mariangeles suggestions. Easy on the uziza seeds. The pungent aroma could be overpowering o

Xilsbridalhouse:

Thanks for coming to my rescue lol I’d follow your advice and hopefully I can come back here with positive feedbacks

By the way, I returned to the same restaurant today and guess what? The Egusi had a bizarre sour taste chai! I had to throw it out.

Cedarlivia:
Are you preggers? If yes, my dear your taste buds may just be playing pranks on you . That said, try using Mariangeles suggestions. Easy on the uziza seeds. The pungent aroma could be overpowering o

Hehehe Thank you so much, I tried adding the Uziza seeds as suggested and it was really delicious The advice here really helped a lot! Now I’m back to eating my homemade Egusi soup


Thanks and God bless you all.

Enjoy my dear

Xilsbridalhouse:

Hehehe Thank you so much, I tried adding the Uziza seeds as suggested and it was really delicious The advice here really helped a lot! Now I’m back to eating my homemade Egusi soup


Thanks and God bless you all.

Xilsbridalhouse:

Hehehe Thank you so much, I tried adding the Uziza seeds as suggested and it was really delicious The advice here really helped a lot! Now I’m back to eating my homemade Egusi soup


Thanks and God bless you all.

I'm glad the suggestions were helpful.

Mariangeles:


I'm glad the suggestions were helpful.

Very very very helpful I must confess...God bless you hun.

Xilsbridalhouse:

Very very very helpful I must confess...God bless you hun.

Post the pictures here

aboyaji:


Post the pictures here

Hahaha next time I’ll lol

Xilsbridalhouse:

Very very very helpful I must confess...God bless you hun.

You too dear.

aboyaji:


Post the pictures here

Onye nri.

Mariangeles:


Onye nri.

Ma o!

A saala m efere nu. Kedu ihe ozo foduru?