There aren’t many Nigerian soups as popular as Egusi soup in most Nigerian households both home and abroad.
Soups have a very strong tradition in West Africa, and one of the most popular in Nigeria, especially in the southern half of the country, is the nourishing and easy to make Egusi soup.
Egusi actually lends its name to the seeds of the Cucurbitaceae plant family which consists of melons, gourd, and individual crops such as cucumbers.
However, in Nigerian cuisine the seeds are normally obtained from a melon, and melon soup is an alternative name for this dish.
If melon seeds are unavailable then pumpkin or pepitas seeds will be fine. The seeds are also very versatile as they can be used in a number of different dishes including stews and making puddings.
When preparing the soup the seeds are grounded to add thickness, and they add a distinctive milky-white colour very rich in protein.
This soup can be eaten with or without vegetables, and with either fish or meat, or both. It is also common to be eaten with pounded yam, foufou/fufu or ground rice.
