Description
A hearty Nigerian sesame seed soup, rich in flavor and nutrition, perfect for serving with pounded yam or eba.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1¼ cups sesame seeds (beniseed)
- 2 lbs assorted meat (beef, cow skin, goat, or a mix), cut into chunks
- ¼ cup palm oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, blended
- 1 red bell pepper and 1 scotch bonnet pepper, blended together
- 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 1–2 seasoning cubes
- 1 cup chopped bitter leaf or scent leaf, washed well if using bitter leaf
- Salt to taste
- Reserved meat stock, as needed
Instructions
- Season and cook the meat. Wash, season, and cook your meat until tender. Drain and reserve the stock.
- Toast and grind the sesame seeds. Wash the sesame seeds and let drain well. In a dry pan, toast over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until fragrant. Let cool completely, then grind into a powder.
- Build the base. Heat the palm oil in a pot over medium heat and add the onion, frying until fragrant. Pour in the blended tomato and pepper mix and let it fry down for about 15 minutes until thickened.
- Add the sesame powder. Stir in the ground sesame seeds and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the crayfish and seasoning cubes.
- Combine and finish. Return the cooked meat to the pot along with enough reserved stock to reach your preferred consistency. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the bitter leaf or scent leaf and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Serve with your preferred swallow.
Notes
For added depth, consider using seafood or locust beans. Beniseed soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 100mg