Egusi is the name for the protein-rich seeds of the African melon, which is specially cultivated to obtain the seeds that, after being dried, shelled and ground, form one of the main ingredients in East African cuisine.
Used in the preparation of stews or soups, egusi is an excellent source of protein and a thickening agent.
Ingredients for 4 portions
- canola oil 20ml
- medium red onion, chopped 1
- cloves of garlic, crushed 4
- ginger, finely chopped 30g
- habanero pepper, seeded and ribbed, finely chopped 1
- tomato paste 15g
- perini tomatoes, chopped 1kg
- raw pumpkin/egusi seeds, shelled 120g
- smoked paprika 10g
- Spinach, washed, dried and coarsely chopped 500g
- hard-boiled eggs, shelled 6
- plantains, peeled and sliced 2
Preparation
Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Add the onions, garlic, ginger, chili and a couple of pinches of salt.
Continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and tender.
Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes. Also add the tomatoes and a few generous pinches of salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer with the saucepan half-covered.
Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally. In about 25 minutes the sauce will be cooked and have reached a full-bodied consistency.
Meanwhile, whisk the egusi
Or pumpkin seeds in a robot
kitchen or a blender to obtain a fine powder.
Do not overwork it; it should not become butter-like.
When the tomato sauce has reduced, add the smoked paprika and simmer for 2 minutes.
Prepare a fairly liquid batter with the egusi powder by adding one tablespoon of water at a time.
Spread the egusi batter on top of the tomato sauce. Cover the saucepan and steam for 5 minutes.
Then mix the sauce and egusi; the result should look like thick porridge.
Add a drop of water and raise the heat to a simmer. Combine the eggs and spinach and turn down the heat, continuing to cook over low heat until the spinach is wilted and tender and the eggs are warm inside as well.
Season with salt to your taste and serve the dish accompanied by boiled sweet plantains
Boiled plantains:
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan with a pinch of salt.
When the water boils add
the plantains, lower the flame and let them simmer. Continue cooking the plantains for 10-15 minutes, until they have turned a deep yellow color. The riper the plantains, the shorter the cooking time needed. Remove them from the water and drain them thoroughly. Serve them as an accompaniment to egusi.
To limit our impact on the environment, we advise you to remain within 1 kg CO2-equivalent per meal, including all the courses you eat. Bear in mind that plant-based dishes are more likely to have a low environmental impact.
Even though some of our suggestions exceed the recommended 1 kg CO2-equivalent per meal, that doesn't mean you should never make them; it's the overall balance that counts. Regularly eating a healthy and eco-friendly diet in the long term offsets even the dishes with the most impact, as long as you don't make them too often.