Recipe For Traditional Egusi Soup With Akpurakpu Egusi

There are many ways to prepare egusi soup and there are many other seeds called thickeners combined with egusi to make a delicious soup.
The akpurakpu egusi or Ofe Achara is a traditional recipe that is peculiar to natives of Abia state. The process requires making egusi into disc-like shapes using a mixture of predominantly egusi, and other ingredients, then adding it to the soup. This makes for a very rich soup filled with edible treats.

Ingredients

• 300g ground egusi (melon seeds)
• 40g ósú
• 2 tbsp achi
• sliced okazi leaves
• 1 cup broken pieces of achara
• 5 tbsp red palm oil
• 3 pieces stockfish
• 1 medium size dry fish
• 1/2 kg, assorted meat
• 2 onions
• 1 wrap, ogiri
• 3 cubes, seasoning
• Habanero pepper
• 4 tbsp crayfish
• 1 tsp dry pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Egusi soup with Akpurakpu egusi. Photo: African Dishes

Method

1. Wash and soak the stockfish for a while.
2. Cook the stockfish adding water salt, onions and seasoning to taste.
3. When the stockfish is ready, set aside.
4. From the ground egusi, set aside two tablespoons. In a mortar, add the remaining egusi and the osu and pound with a pestle till they are combined.
5. Add the dry pepper and salt and pound, then add water from the stockfish in drops and keep pounding till it forms a thick dough.
6. Mould the dough into small disc-like shapes and set aside.
7. Wash the assorted meat and season with salt, onions and one cube of seasoning.
8. When the meat starts to boil, add the moulded disc-like egusi to it and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
9. Set aside the egusi moulds. and cook the meat until its soft.
10. Set a pot on medium heat, add the palm oil and then the achi and mix. Add stock from the meat and stockfish till it makes a fine mixture.
11. Let it cook for a few minutes and then add 2 tablespoons of egusi and let it boil until it thickens.
12. Add the dry fish, meat, stockfish and egusi moulds and let it simmer.
13. Add the habanero pepper, crayfish and ogiri and let it boil
14. Then add the achara and okazi and let it boil.
15. Once it boils, set aside to cool.
16. Serve with any staple food of choice.