Egusi Soup with Egusi Uziza lumps

Egusi soup, Nigeria’s most common soup can be varied with different vegetables and meats.  So today I have decided to bring some interesting flavour which is what Egusi Soup with Uziza lumps.  Since this Egusi soup features so often on our meal time table anything to jazz it up is a welcome idea.

Over last weekend, I had cooked my Egusi the way it is done in Calabar with Bitter leaf and Waterleaf. Yes it had the slight bitter taste I wanted but there was this zing that was missing for me so I embarked on making Egusi balls infused with sliced Uziza to drop into the soup.

The interesting thing about this simple addition meant that as I ate the soup I was occasionally surprised by the Egusi Uziza lof the swallow. If you know the aromatic flavour that Uziza brings to soups you can appreciate what I mean. Just like onion is usedinYoruba egusi lumps to flavour and mold it, uziza also adds something to the balls.

Someone will say why not just sprinkle on the Uziza instead of this complexity. Yes you can but I like making the meal extra special. Family and guests appreciate when we put in that extra something to food.

 

To make the Uziza balls

1. Dry fry 1/2 cup Egusi and blend into fine powder.
2. Pound the powder with 1-2 pieces scotch bonnet pepper, 1/4 small onion, a little seasoning cube and salt to taste. Pound till oil starts to appear in the Egusi.
3. Wash and chop about 4/6 leaves Uziza into very thin slices and add to the Egusi and mix well.
4. Mold the Egusi into small balls and drop in the boiling meat stock to cook. Try to push the meats in the pot to one side so it’s easy to drop in the stock.
5. After about 5-10 minutes gradually remove the balls set aside. Add back to the soup when the soup is ready to be served.