HOW TO MAKE EGUSI PUDDING
Published Jul 07, 2017
Updated Sep 26, 2018
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ย Egusi Pudding is one of the dishes that I never get tired of eating. It is equally very nutritive so I eat without guilt. The sad thing is there is never enough Egusi Pudding to go around. It is so good, no body wants to stop eating it. Just look at this:
Egusi is a seed that comes from a type of pumpkin/melon. It is usually in a yellowish-orange shell, which when cracked open, reveals a white seed. This highly valued seed, egusi is also known as melon seeds or pumpkin seeds.
In some parts of Africa, egusi can beย cooked with green leafy vegetablesย or used to make soups and stews. One of my all-time favourite Egusi dishes is the Nigerian Egusi soup cooked with sprinkles of bitterleaf and eaten with Eba or Poundo (Pounded Yam). However, Egusi Pudding remains top on my list. I could give an arm for a slice of Egusi Pudding… and I won’t be guilty because it is so healthy.
Just look at those slices up there! African cake slices – airy, spicy, savoury and offering your taste buds all the good things they could ask for. To make the pudding, the seeds are blended and mixed with water, fish, seasoning and cooked in plantain leaves or aluminium foil in the absence of plantain/banana leaves.
Egusi pudding is usuallyย a hit at Cameroonian parties! It is just so good!
You can enjoy egusi pudding as it is or with any starchy side of choice. Options include boiled ripe plantains, boiled yams or bobolo/miondo (fermented and boiled cassava). I made a video to show you guys how to make this deliciousness. Watch the video below and check out the step-by-step printable recipe right after the video. If you have not subscribed to my YouTube channel, click here to subscribe so you do not miss any of my cooking videos. Enjoy!
Watch how to make Egusi Pudding:
ย
How to Make Egusi Pudding
Egusi pudding is a savoury meal made with melon seeds and typically eaten in Cameroon, West Africa. The seeds are blended, mixed with other ingredients and steamed. Insanely delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 cups of Egusi
- 1/2 cup crayfish- ground
- 1 cup smoked meat of choice or fish-sliced (options include beef, dried or smoked fish of choice, boiled chicken or smoked turkey) I used smoked beef and chicken
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 large crayfish seasoning cube
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg optional
- 1 ground hot pepper - habanero, scotch bonnet or chili
Instructions
- Put the seeds into a blender and grind. Please note that this is dry blending so you do not need to add water. I normally use the small compartment of my blender because it grinds seeds finely and doesn't leave me with an unevenly ground mixture. I blend a little at a time.
- Pour ground Egusi into a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to break down chunks if any. Add in ground crayfish, pepper and seasoning (salt and maggi)
- Add in three quarters of the water and mix into a smooth paste. If you put in all the water at once, it may be very difficult to mix into a smooth paste. Add in the remaining water and mix well.
- Add in your egg and mix well.
- Add in your dry (or smoked fish) and shredded chicken (or beef) then stir to incorporate.
- Line your pot with some banana leaves or aluminium foil to create a base for steaming. (Please see video for how I do this).Pour two cups of water into pot and place on medium heat.
- Place a banana leave into a deep bowl and push the centre to make sure it is indented. Add another banana leave across the banana leave. Pour two scoops (about 2 large ice cream scoops) of the mixture into the leaves. Gather together carefully to ensure mixture is secure then tie with a kitchen wrap or any plastic bag transformed into a tie. If using aluminium foil, you do not need to tie - just gather the ends of the foil together after pouring in your mixture and press to secure.
- Place every bundle into prepare pot. ย repeat process with the rest of the mixture.
- When done wrapping, cover all your bundles with another banana leaf or foil so the steam doesn't escape. Let it cook for about 60 minutes. Check to add water every 10 minutes so it doesn't burn burn. Be careful not to add a lot of water. You only need 1-2 cups at a time.
- After about an hour or more, your pudding should be ready. Remove, unwrap, and enjoy!
- You can enjoy as it is or with a boiled starchy side of choice. I love it with boiled ripe plantains! Boiled yams, cassava(yuca) or bobolo/miondo (steamed fermented cassava) are other good options.
Notes
1. If you are a ginger and garlic person, feel free to throw in a teaspoon of the blended spices. It doesn't hurt... rather helps to keep the doctors away.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!
*This recipe has been updated.
Please can one use green egusi?
Yes you can, dear. It might look a little green but that’s okay.
Wow thanks alot aunty Precious, am going right away to my kitchen
Please let me know how it goes.
I am speechless and grateful for this fine work.
What brand of blender did you use?
Hi Ebot, I use a Ninja blender. You can get it from amazon.com.
Hi Precious, do you think it can be wrapped in Parchment baking paper as well? And what makes you decide to put more or less water, would it just have a different texture? Thanks
Hi Claudia, yes you can totally wrap it in parchment paper. I have never tried it but I’ve seen pictures of egusi pudding cooked in parchment following my recipe. And it looked great! However, I will say reduce the liquid by half cup so it is not too runny. Hope this helps.
Isn’t there a type of e pudding that is baked/roasted?
Yes, sometimes I put in an oven safe bowl, cover with foil paper and bake. Also, sometimes already cooked egusi pudding is slightly grilled (while still in the leaves) to yield a nice smoky flavor and a crispy coating.
Aunty precious those pice you wrote there I don’t know them a picture might help
Hi dear, which spices are you referring to?
can i add oil to it?
Yes you can if you so wish.
woow,thanks PRECIOUS for this wonderful recipe.
You are welcome, Kathleen!
Wow, looks so good. I will have to try it over the weekend.
Please let me know how it goes, Faith!
Crazy love for the patience and the amazing photography. Sometimes you need that high end photo quality to make the audience see exactly how attractive the food also looks
Thanks so much Gerard! Yes, photography matters – so I can show how yummy the food is. Thank you!
This is so interesting looking. I have always associated egusi with soups,to think that it can be a pudding too. Nice one sis.
Thank you, sis! The pudding is so good!