I think I'm the only Igbo girl who has never cooked with osu egusi and that is because my Mom never used it and even after I grew up and started cooking my meals I never used or thought it necessary because I'm afraid it might affect the taste of the egusi soup.

I was at the market yesterday to purchase condiments for egusi soup and the way egusi was so expensive ( handpeel) the temptation to add osu came strongly. So I asked the mama if osu will change the taste of egusi and she said no but I wasn't convinced because I felt she just wanted me to buy from her. So I instead changed my mind and told her to increase the quantity of my egusi. I don't trust that osu.

So I said let me ask here, who has used it? I know it helps the volume of the soup but is the taste overpowering?

Why do you use it?

Helps the egusi bind better, that’s all.

Probz:
Helps the egusi bind better, that’s all.

Bind how? You mean form lumps?

Jewessgratitud3:


Bind how? You mean form lumps?

Yes

Kamachicho:


Yes

Oh.. ok.
Thanks.

Jewessgratitud3:


Bind how? You mean form lumps?

Pretty much. Some Igbo people hardly cook egusi without it and no-doubt it’s worthwhile but you don’t really-really need it technically. But if you’re comfortable using it and it’s right under your nose, use am. What it does is improve the texture, not alter the taste.

Do you ever grind okpei (the Igbo version of dawa-dawa/iru) with your egusi seeds? No-doubt it has a smell (although it’s not as stinky as other types of proper ogiri) but that’s something that would change the taste of your egusi, but only for the better. Yoruba people won’t give you all these tips when it comes to egusi (besides their indigenous meals, rice and beans are generally the only things they know how to cook well minus Ondo, Ekiti and certain parts of Osun, what have more soup/vegetable variety) so listen to the Igbos, ndu Benue and Calabars in the house when it comes to egusi. Oyo egusi and egusi-Ijebu are total hogwash so let’s strike all that nonsense off the table if we’re going to talk about real, properly made egusi.

Probz:


Pretty much. Some Igbo people hardly cook egusi without it and no-doubt it’s worthwhile but you don’t really-really need it technically. But if you’re comfortable using it and it’s right under your nose, use am. What it does is improve the texture, not alter the taste.

Do you ever grind okpei (the Igbo version of dawa-dawa/iru) with your egusi seeds? No-doubt it has a smell (although it’s not as stinky as other types of proper ogiri) but that’s something that would change the taste of your egusi, but only for the better. Yoruba people won’t give you all these tips when it comes to egusi (besides their indigenous meals, rice and beans are generally the only things they know how to cook well minus Ondo, Ekiti and certain parts of Osun, what have more soup/vegetable variety) so listen to the Igbos, ndu Benue and Calabars in the house when it comes to egusi. Oyo egusi and egusi-Ijebu are total hogwash so let’s strike all that nonsense off the table if we’re going to talk about real, properly made egusi.

Ok. I get it now

Thanks