Ogbono and Egusi soup is a delicious combo you'll surely enjoy.
It is a very common way to merge these two Nigerian soups (Ogbono soup and Egusi soup) together without having to cook two separate pots of soup.
So if you love egusi and ogbono and can't decide which you'll love to prepare, then do try out this ''combination soup'', you'll be glad you did.
Ogbono and Egusi Soup ingredients
• 1 handful of Ogbono Seeds OR 2 handful ground Ogbono powder
• 1 cup ground Egusi/melon seeds
• Assorted Meat and Fish: (could be a mixture of any of these :Beef, cowfoot, Shaki(tripe),Ponmo(cow skin) DryFish & Stock Fish)
• 2-3 Cooking spoonful Palm Oil
• Vegetable :Spinach OR Pumpkin leaves(ugu) OR Bitter leaf(onugbu)..or a mixture of bitter leaf and Ugwu
•Crayfish(as you like it)
•1 Onion bulb
•2 seasoning cubes
•Chili Pepper or scotch bonnet(atarodo) (to taste)
• salt (to taste)
Cooking Directions
**If you bought Whole ogbono seeds, Grind the ogbono seeds thoroughly using a dry mill or blender.
**Also grind the egusi seeds until smooth. Place in a bowl and dissolve with a little lukewarm water to form a paste.
** Wash, season and cook the assorted meat , dry fish &stock fish with onions, stock cube and salt to taste.Cook until tender.
**Slice the vegetables, grind the pepper and crayfish and set aside
Now to cook the Soup...
1. In a small pot, heat up a cooking spoonful of palm oil until hot. Add the dissolved Egusi paste and fry, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
Fry for about 15 minutes or when you notice the oil rise to the top of the egusi. Put off the heat and set aside.
2. In another larger pot, heat up the remaining red palm oil until hot ;put off the heat and add the ground Ogbono.
Dissolve the ogbono by pressing it with the back of the cooking spoon, stirring constantly .
Put back on low heat, add a little water or meat stock, and leave to boil for a minute. You will notice that it has become thicker and has a slimy texture(it has started to ''draw'') .
3. Now add the ''fried'' egusi to the pot and mix well. If it's too thick, add more of the meat stock or water and leave to boil for 10 minutes; Stir the soup constantly so that it does not burn at the bottom.
4. Add the cooked dry fish/stock fish, assorted meat, the ground crayfish, stock cube, pepper and salt to taste.
Mix well, cover the pot and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, you should check on it and stir the soup constantly to prevent burning.
5. Finally add the sliced vegetables.
Simmer for 3 minutes and put off the heat . Stir well and serve hot with Pounded yam, Fufu, or any other ''swallow of choice''.
