Fufu and Egusi Soup 🍲

Hey Famlee 💕

This one means a lot to me.

Fufu and Egusi Soup is real Nigerian comfort food - rich, hearty, and full of deep, savory flavor from the egusi (melon seeds), palm oil, and a mix of proteins that make this soup so satisfying. Paired with warm, smooth fufu for scooping, this is the kind of meal that brings people together.

It takes a bit of time and a few ingredients you may need to seek out, but I promise it’s worth it. Let’s cook.

Servings: 3–4

Protein

• 1 lb tripe, cut into chunks

• 1½ lb chicken drumsticks

• Stockfish, amount to preference

• 2 tbsp beef or chicken bouillon

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

• Water, as needed

Egusi Soup

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small chunks

• ½ medium red onion, cut into small chunks

• 1–2 habanero peppers (adjust to taste)

• 2 cups egusi (melon seeds), blended

• 1½ cups reserved broth

• 1 cup palm oil

• 2–3 tbsp ground crayfish

• 1 tbsp beef or chicken bouillon

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

• 1 handful fresh or frozen spinach, chopped

• 1 cup water, plus more as needed

Fufu

• 1 cup fufu flour

• 2–2½ cups water, as needed

• 1 additional cup fufu powder, as needed

• ¼ cup warm water, as needed

Prepare the protein

1. Add the chicken drumsticks, tripe, and stockfish to a large pot. Season with the bouillon, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.

2. Pour in enough water to completely cover the proteins. Bring to a boil and cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if the liquid reduces too much.

3. Remove the chicken and set aside. Continue cooking the tripe and stockfish for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tripe is tender.

4. Reserve 1½ cups of the broth — ½ cup for mixing with the egusi, and 1 cup for cooking the soup.

Make the egusi soup

5. Add the red bell pepper, red onion, and habanero peppers to a blender. Roughly blend until combined but not completely smooth.

6. Transfer the blended pepper mixture to a fine-mesh sieve and let as much excess liquid drain out as possible.

7. In a bowl, mix the blended egusi with ½ cup of the reserved broth until well combined.

8. Pour the palm oil into a large pot and heat over medium heat for a few minutes, until hot and beginning to sizzle.

9. Add the drained pepper mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. Add the bouillon, cayenne pepper, and ground crayfish. Stir until well combined.

11. Add the egusi mixture to the pot in about 7–8 separate portions, leaving a little space between each. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 2 minutes without stirring.

12. Remove the lid and gently stir everything together for about 1 minute, until fully combined.

13. Add the cooked chicken, tripe, and stockfish. Pour in 1 cup of the reserved broth and 1 cup of water. Stir carefully, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

14. Add the chopped spinach and stir until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust with more salt, bouillon, or cayenne, if needed.

15. If the soup is too thick, add a little water at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Make the fufu

16. In a bowl, mix 1 cup of fufu flour with enough warm water to create a smooth, pourable mixture with no lumps.

17. Bring about 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and gradually pour in the fufu mixture while stirring continuously.

18. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes, until it thickens and becomes difficult to stir. Once too thick to stir normally, begin pulling the mixture from the sides of the pot toward the center, pressing and folding as you go.

19. Gradually add more fufu flour, a little at a time, continuously stirring, folding, and pressing until the fufu becomes thick, smooth, and stretchy. Make sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding more, to prevent lumps.

20. If the fufu is still very sticky or too soft, add a little more fufu flour and continue turning until it reaches your preferred consistency.

21. Pour about ¼ cup of warm or hot water around the fufu. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water begins to bubble and steam.

22. Turn off the heat. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, stir, fold, and press the fufu against the sides of the pot until the water is fully incorporated and the fufu is smooth and lump-free.

23. Serve the fufu warm with the egusi soup.

Jess’ Tips 💕

Swap in your preferred proteins - lamb, goat meat, or cow skin all work great. Just make sure each one is cooked until tender before adding it to the soup.

After adding the spinach, if you feel the soup needs more palm oil, add a little more and let it cook for another 2 minutes.

Don’t want to cook the fufu on the stove? Use the microwave instead - mix the powder with water until smooth and pourable, microwave for 3–4 minutes per 1 cup of fufu powder, mix well, add a splash of water, and microwave again for 1–2 minutes until cooked through to your liking.

Find the ingredients: palm oil, fufu powder, crayfish, and egusi (melon seeds) are all available on Amazon or at any African market.

This soup keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Make this one and tell me how it turned out - drop a comment or tag me, I’d love to see the Famlee trying something new 🥹💕

Love you, Famlee.

Jess