I need a good egusi recipe?

Question

Gimmie your best one.

Answer 1

Egusi Soup
Various Egusi soups are favorites in Western Africa. The soup is thickened with flour ground from seeds of a species of Cucurbitaceae (which includes gourds, melons, pumpkins, and squashes, many of which are native to Africa). In Western Africa, these plants and seeds, as well as soups and stews made with them, are all called Egusi, and this is the name most commonly used outside of Africa.

Look for egusi (also called agusi, agushi, egushi) in African or International grocery stores. Pumpkin seeds can be substituted, as can Pepitas, which are available in Latin American grocery stores. Sesame seeds might also be used with some success.

What you need

one-half cup palm oil, or peanut oil, or similar
one to two pounds beef stew meat, goat meat, mutton, or any stew meat, cubed
one or two Maggi® cubes or Maggi® sauce (optional)
one onion, chopped
one hot chile pepper, cleaned and chopped
two or three tomatoes, chopped
several okra, chopped (optional)
one can tomato sauce or one spoonful tomato paste
one cup dried prawns or dried shrimp, or dried/salted/smoked fish or stockfish
one to two cups egusi, roasted and ground (pumpkin seeds or pepitas can be substituted)
one to two pounds spinach; washed and chopped -- or -- bitterleaf, collards, kale, sorrel, turnip greens, or any greens; cleaned, chopped, and parboiled (or a combination of any of the above)
cayenne pepper or red pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

What you do

If it is not already ground, grind or food-process the egusi (or its substitute).


Heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the meat until browned, but not done. Transfer the meat to a deep pot or dutch oven, cover it with water, add the maggi cube if desired. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer.


Heat more oil in the same skillet in which meat was cooked; fry together the onion, chile pepper, tomatoes, and okra. Once they start to become tender add the tomato sauce (or tomato paste), dried shrimp or fish, and egusi. Stir well and allow to heat throughly.


Add the onion-tomato-egusi mixture to the simmering meat. Add water and stir into a smooth soup. Cook for twenty to thirty minutes, or until meat and vegetables are done.


Stir in greens. Adjust seasoning. Cook until greens are done as you like them.


Egusi Soup

"This soup is native to West Africa (Nigeria) and many of my American as well as Nigerian friends have enjoyed it. It is a great soup for those who like to try something different every once in a while. Ground Egusi seeds give this soup a unique color and flavor. If you can't find Egusi seeds, you can substitute pumpkin seeds. Any combination of crab, shrimp and smoked fish can be used in place of the shrimp. Drained, smoked oysters and chicken can be used in place of the beef."
Original recipe yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Prep Time:15 MinutesCook Time:1 Hour 20 MinutesReady In:1 Hour 35 MinutesServings:6 (change)

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INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
18 ounces tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped

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DIRECTIONS:
Place pumpkin seeds in a blender and blend for 30 to 40 seconds or until mixture is a powdery paste. Set aside.
Wash beef and cut into bite-size cubes. Season with salt. In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add beef and saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until brown but not cooked through.
Place tomatoes, onions, and pepper in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Add tomato mixture to meat, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is tender.
Add tomato sauce, water, and shrimp and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spinach and ground pumpkin seeds and continue to simmer 10 minutes more.

Answer 2

Chicken with Egusi

This chicken soup is thickened with flour ground from seeds of a melon or gourd (species of cucurbitaceae) called egusi. Look for egusi (also called agusi, agushi, egushi) in African or International grocery stores. Pumpkin seeds can be substituted, as can pepitas, which are available in Latin American grocery stores. Sesame seeds might also be used with some success.

What you need

palm oil, peanut oil, or other oil for frying chicken
one chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
two or three onions, chopped
two or more cups of chicken broth or chicken stock, or buillon cubes
two tomatoes, or canned tomatoes, or tomato paste or tomato sauce
one cup egusi seeds (or substitute), roasted and ground
several sprigs parsley, or similar
water
cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper, salt

What you do

Heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the chicken and onions until the chicken is well browned, but not done.

As chicken is browning, bring chicken broth or stock to a slow boil in a large pot. Stir in tomatoes. Add egusi and stir until smooth. Allow to cook several minutes.

Add chicken and onions to broth. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. Add parsley and seasonings to taste. Add water if needed, to make soup thinner as desired.
Serve with Fufu, or Rice.

Answer 3

Egusi Pudding

Answer 4

RICE WITH SAUCE - 1

1. Remove egusi shell; grind in meat grinder (blender) into very small pieces. Add water to make a paste.
2. Add to a sauce or gravy (in the Congo the sauce consists of palm oil, water, onions, tomatoes and salt) with a dried meat. (Many people insist it is best with fish.) Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce is thick.
3. Pour over rice

RICE WITH SAUCE - 2

1. Remove shells; grind into small pieces. Add salt.
2. Make a firm paste by adding water. Form into small balls. Drop into boiling water and remove when done.
3. Add to meat and gravy sauce.
4. Pour over rice

PIZZA CONGOESE WITH EGUSI AND BLACK-EYED PEAS

Pizza crust made with standard recipe
8-10 tomatoes
crushed cooked beans
Egusi sauce (below)
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Chopped onions
(Minced garlic)
(Green pepper)
(Mushrooms)

Cook chopped tomatoes with seasonings to make sauce. Spread over pizza crust. Add beans and other toppings. Top with egusi sauce.

Egusi sauce: Heat a little water and oil. Add pounded egusi. Stir until thickened like Ricotta cheese.


ROASTED EGUSI
Put a tiny bit of butter in when stirring in a thick pan over heat. Sprinkle with salt. Makes a delicious snack which can be added to granola, sprinkled on cakes, or similarly used.

(Ruth Welch, a missionary to what was then Zaire, gave the above recipes to ECHO. The pizza recipe she attributes to Denise Herbol.)

EGUSI PUDDING

Prepare beef cubes (l/2 to l lb.) in water (2-4 cups) with garlic (1-2 cloves) and onion (l medium diced) until tender. Let cool.

Peel 3-4 cups dried egusi. Grind finely three times through grinder (or blender).

Mix egusi with broth until it is a little thicker then cake batter (about like brownie mix). Add meat and mix in well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mixture on narrower end of banana leaf.
Preparing Banana leaf for Egusi Pudding. Remove leaves from center stem of a mature banana (or plantain leaf). Keep stem. cut leaves into pieces about 10-12 inches wide. Soften pieces over burner of stove (heat them through being careful not to burn them - their color changes and you can see them soften as they pass over the heat).

Begin to roll. When pudding is partially rolled fold end in toward center (envelope roll like egg roll).

Cut stem into pieces and lay in bottom of pot or pressure cooker. Lay rolls of egusi pudding on stem pieces (with loose edge down).

Make alternating layers till pot is full. Add water to top of stems. Put top on and steam over fire 1 hour or 20 minutes at 15# psi in pressure cooker. Cool, peel, slice, and serve warm or cold.

Answer 5

http://soup.allrecipes.com/AZ/EgusiSoup.asp