wonderfully suited vegan diet thanks to its high content of valuable oils and proteins
For those unfamiliar with it, egusi the seed of certain types of gourds that grow primarily in tropical West Africa. Thanks to its high content of valuable oils and proteins, egusi is wonderfully suited vegan diet
The sauce made from egusi is often egusi soup although I prefer the term egusi stew , as the consistency is much closer to that of a sauce than a soup. So, egusi stew is a sauce made from ground egusi . It's a popular dish in West Africa with considerable local variations.
For this recipe, I opted for chicken this time. I usually use beef or fish. The chicken is thoroughly washed and then soaked for a few minutes in water with lemon juice. This removes some of the chicken smell. The lemon juice also gives the chicken a pleasant, slightly tangy flavor, which I really like. The meat is then marinated for about half an hour in my delicious Magic Sauce before being cooked for a few minutes without any water, just in its own juices. Finally, the lightly cooked pieces of meat are deep-fried in very hot oil. This gives them a beautiful golden-brown color.
In my opinion, egusi's best friend in the world of spices is pepper. My mother prefers black pepper in this dish. When she was teaching us how to cook, she used to say:
Pepper is essential in Egusi dishes, but the correct dosage is crucial.
I like to mix black and white pepper together. I think the combination works really well in Egusi... if you get the proportions right. Especially since I often don't want to do without my delicious, award-winning white Penja pepper .
There are a few variations when it comes to preparing egusi, just like with the different varieties. I, for example, like to use the whole seeds. In many stores, you can also buy them already ground into a powder. However, I find that they lose a bit of flavor if they've been ground days or weeks in advance. When preparing egusi, I also like to mix the seeds with water. I'm one of those people who let their egusi soak for a few minutes after mixing. Some people sprinkle the powder directly into the pot while cooking, without soaking or soaking beforehand. It all comes down to personal taste.
Best side dish for Egusi Stew?
Many will probably say fufu. I will say:
It depends on!
I can already hear you saying, "For what?". It depends on which variant of Egusi
In Cameroon alone, there are countless variations of Egusi Stew , also known as Pistachio Sauce (it just doesn't work without a French twist...). To list just a handful of variations, so you get a little idea of what I'm talking about:
- Egusi Stew as a vegetarian dish,
- Egusi Stew with fish and/or meat
- Egusi Stew with spinach or other leafy greens
- Egusi Stew with Okra
- Egusi Stew with Obgono
- Etc…
So, do you understand the point of my question now? I prefer my egusi stew – plain, like in this recipe, with rice. If okra is involved, then it's with fufu.
The whole thing as a video
Pistachio Sauce with Chicken | Pumpkin Seed Sauce with Chicken
Ingredients
- 200 g Egusi kernels
- 1 kg chicken thighs
- 5 medium-sized fresh tomatoes (alternatively, chopped canned tomatoes)
- 2 onions
- 2 spring onions
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp black and white pepper
- 4 tbsp Magic Sauce
- 1 tsp lovage powder
- approx. 500ml frying oil
- approx. 100ml cooking oil
- Salt
- approx. 500 ml water
- 1 Scotch Bonnet/Habanero
- 1 lemon (Optional)
Instructions
- First, thoroughly wash the chicken thighs and then let them stand in water with the juice of one lemon for about 10 minutes
- Remove the chicken thighs from the water and place them in a pot with 2 tablespoons of Magic Sauce and salt, mix well and marinate for about 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, wash the egusi seeds and mix them together with an onion, the garlic cloves, the pepper and a little water to a smooth paste, then set aside to marinate
- Now cook the chicken thighs over medium heat WITHOUT water for about 5 minutes, then remove the jus from the pot and save it for later.
- Prepare a pan with frying oil and fry the chicken pieces until golden brown on all sides, then set aside
- Cut the tomatoes into cubes and finely chop the onions
- Place the finely chopped onions and salt in a pot with cooking oil and sauté for about 2 minutes
- Add the diced tomatoes and reduce until the tomatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pot
- Add the previously reserved meat jus and water to the pot, mix everything well and bring to a boil
- As soon as the mixture starts to boil, add the previously blended egusi seeds and stir carefully.
- Now let the sauce simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly
- Then add the golden-brown chicken thighs, mix carefully, cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes
- Now add the rest of the Magic Sauce, the lovage and the Scotch Bonnet/Habanero, mix carefully and simmer for another 5 minutes
- Just before the pot comes out of the stove, add the freshly chopped spring onions, stir gently, then season to taste, and it's ready.
