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    Home » Nigerian Egusi soup » Egusi Ijebu

    Published: Sep 16, 2015 · Modified: Aug 12, 2019 by Ajoke

    Egusi Ijebu

    Eweso omo Alare, This is one of the easiest Yoruba local soup you can ever cook. Egusi Ijebu as the name implies is from Ijebu and it is very popular too.

    egusi ijebu

    Le bae is from Ijebu but we hardly cook this soup but the days he feels nostalgic, I have got to get myself in the kitchen and make the soup. This time around I got a bit of help from him especially when my egusi soup started clumping. Hubby laughed at me and told me my egusi is turning to efo elegusi. I immediately redeemed myself by using my hand blender to rectify the mistake. Also when making egusi Ijebu, the addition of ogiri is very important.

    Like I explained in some of my previous posts that required ogiri here (Ofe Onugbu) and here (Ofe Akwu) . Ogiri is not pleasant to the nostrils but does wonders in soups. You can also use any protein of choice but in my case I only used smoked turkey and shaki as that was what I had at hand. Egusi Ijebu can be eaten with any swallow of choice and rice. If you are weird like me, eat your egusi with bread and you would thank me later.

    egusi-ijebu-recipe

    Ingredients

    200g ground egusi

    1 red bell pepper (tatashe)

    2-3 scotch bonnet chillies (ata rodo)

    2 onions

    Assorted meat of choice

    Ponmo

    6 pieces of smoked turkey

    Salt

    Seasoning

    Ground crayfish

    Ogiri

    2-3Csp palm oil

    stock

    How to make egusi Ijebu

    • Notes: There is this myth about adding salt to egusi ijebu at the beginning of your cooking process, it is said that it makes it clump up easily. How true? I really don’t know but I did struggle with mine though, as I used already ground/preserved egusi which contained salt.
    • Egusi ijebu is usually lump free and almost stew like. You need to mix it well to avoid it getting lumps  
    • Add enough water/stock to the egusi if it is too thick. The soup should be light but not watery

    Bring your assorted meat and smoked turkey (if you have to) to boil till tender. (season with salt, onions and seasoning. NO CURRY AND THYME PLEASE)

    Blend peppers, onions, melon and  ogiri,  with water or stock and set aside

    how-to-make-egusi-ijebu-3

    Place a pan on a medium heat and add palm oil, heat for about 3 minutes

    Add the pepper and melon mixture to the hot oil, add water or stock and mix rigorously till well combined.

    After about 5 minutes, add seasoning and crayfish to the soup and stir to combine. (Hold on on adding salt to the soup if you are using stock or believe my salt myth above)

    how-to-make-egusi-ijebu

    Add smoked turkey and shaki or any other protein to the egusi soup at this point and cook for another 10-15 minutes on low heat making sure you check on it intermittently. This is to avoid the egusi clumping up

    At this stage of the cooking, I had to bring out my hand blender as my egusi was beginning to clump up. Hubby told me it was no longer looking like egusi ijebu has it had to be proper smooth.

    egusi-ijebu-recipe

    If you would be blending like me, blend the egusi till smooth. Add more water to the soup and check for salt and seasoning. (take out your proteins from the soup before blending and add it back to soup once done)

     Leave soup to simmer till well done. Serve hot with swallow of choice and ewedu soup

    how to make ewedu and eba.

    Don't forget to take a picture and tag my active kitchen on social media if you make any recipe from the blog and I also love reading from you all, leave a comment or send me an email. if you are yet to subscribe to the blog, kindly do so and you won't miss any new post from us again. Don’t forget to use the share buttons below too, sharing is caring. until next time, be true to yourself.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline Omoniyi Oludimu says

      March 19, 2016 at 8:37 am

      Hello, I've just poured in my blend...mix of pepper, melon, ire and onions in the hot oil....waiting on it. Hubby is Ijebu and kids schools is having cultural day and my kids are to attend with their native food. No clue on ikokore....hope this turns out right ...wink. Many thanks for the recipe

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        March 19, 2016 at 12:01 pm

        Well done mummy for trying, I'm sure it would be great and the kids will ask you for double portions. I should make a post on ikokore soon. Thank you for stopping by and do let me know how it turns out. Continue to rock your kitchen sis.

        Reply
    2. jadesola says

      September 18, 2015 at 5:10 am

      I love the idea of using hand blender for the soup. nice recipe, thanks

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        November 26, 2015 at 5:44 pm

        Thanks Jadesola

        Reply
    3. Lola says

      September 18, 2015 at 5:09 am

      Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Ajoke says

        November 26, 2015 at 5:43 pm

        You are welcome

        Reply

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    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

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    Hello, my name is Ajoke, and welcome to my food world,  I love to cook in my lively little kitchen. Join me in the adventure of cooking what we all call warm, hearty, and quick meals...

    More about me →

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