Egusi Soup
A thick, nutty tasting Nigerian soup of ground melon seeds, spinach and chicken, lifted with palm oil and chilli.
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.10 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Simmer the chicken in the water with half the onion and the stock cube for 20 minutes. Keep the chicken and the stock separate.
20 min - 2
Blitz the red peppers, Scotch bonnet and tomato to a smooth paste.
- 3
Heat the palm oil in a large pot. Fry the rest of the onion for 3 minutes, add the pepper paste and cook for 10 minutes until the oil separates.
10 min - 4
Mix the egusi with a little cold water to a paste. Drop spoonfuls into the pot and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes to form soft curds.
5 min - 5
Pour in the chicken stock, add the chicken and crayfish, and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
15 min - 6
Stir in the spinach and cook for 3 minutes until wilted. Serve hot with rice or boiled yam.
3 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.