Zapappy

Name: Egusi Soup
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 630 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces; 4 oz dried stockfish fillet; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 1 Nigerian beef bouillon cube, crushed; 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 5 cups water; 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped; 2 plum tomatoes, quartered; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed; 2 cups ground egusi seeds; 3/4 cup warm water; 3/4 cup unrefined red palm oil; 2 tbsp ground dried crayfish; 1 tbsp iru, rinsed and drained; 8 oz smoked mackerel, skin and bones removed and flesh broken into large flakes; 8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1 cup finely sliced washed bitter leaf; 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed

Cooking

Ingredients

Meat and Stock

1 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz dried stockfish fillet
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Nigerian beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
5 cups water

Pepper Base

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed

Soup

2 cups ground egusi seeds
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup unrefined red palm oil
2 tbsp ground dried crayfish
1 tbsp iru, rinsed and drained
8 oz smoked mackerel, skin and bones removed and flesh broken into large flakes
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup finely sliced washed bitter leaf
1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed

Directions

Cook the Meat and Stockfish

Cover the stockfish with plenty of cool water and soak 8 hours. Drain, rinse thoroughly, remove any bones, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Combine the beef, stockfish, chopped stock onion, bouillon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 cups water in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim well, then simmer partially covered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and near {{temperature:195°F}} and the stockfish is tender. Transfer the solids to a bowl and reserve 3 cups strained stock.

Reduce the Pepper Base

Blend the bell peppers, tomatoes, chopped pepper-base onion, and the hot chile until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups and no longer watery, 12 to 15 minutes.

Form the Egusi Curds

Mix the ground egusi with 3/4 cup warm water to form a thick paste. Heat the palm oil in the cleaned heavy pot over medium heat until fluid and shimmering but not smoking. Add the reduced pepper base, crayfish, and iru and fry, stirring often, until deeply aromatic and the oil separates, 10 to 12 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Drop rounded tablespoons of egusi paste across the surface without stirring. Cover and cook for 8 minutes so the curds set, then turn the curds gently and cook uncovered for 5 minutes more.

Simmer and Finish the Soup

Add 2 cups reserved stock around the curds and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the beef and stockfish and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring only enough to prevent scorching while preserving distinct egusi lumps.
Fold in the smoked mackerel, spinach, bitter leaf, and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer until the greens are tender and the soup is thick, rich, and spoonable, 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved stock in small amounts only if it becomes tighter than a thick stew.
Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, skim only clearly excessive surface oil, and adjust the salt, then ladle into warm bowls.