Name: AFRICAN HAITIAN RESTAURANT (HALAL)s Fufu With Egusi Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 3 cups cassava flour (garri) or cassava fufu flour; 0.5 cups plantain flour or yam flour (optional, to adjust texture); 5 cups water (for cooking fufu); 0.5 tsp salt; 2 cups egusi (ground melon) seeds; 1 lb beef (cut into bite-size pieces); 0.5 lb smoked turkey or smoked fish (optional); 0.75 cups palm oil; 0 cups red palm oil (additional if desired); 1 unit onion (medium, chopped); 1 unit scotch bonnet or habanero peppers (whole or blended); 1 cup tomatoes (fresh, blended) or 1 can tomato puree; 0.5 unit red bell pepper (blended with tomatoes, optional); 2 tbs crayfish (ground); 2 unit stock cubes (Maggi or bouillon); 3 cups bitter leaf or spinach (washed and chopped); 2 tbs cooking oil or vegetable oil (to brown meat); 1 tsp salt; 3 cups water (for boiling meat and adjusting soup)

Method

Fufu

1
Prepare water
Bring 5 cups of water to a gentle boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tsp salt and reduce heat to medium.
2
Add flour
Gradually sprinkle the cassava flour (and plantain/yam flour if using) into the simmering water while stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or a firm whisk to prevent lumps.
3
Cook and thicken
Continue stirring and mashing the mixture for 6–8 minutes until it forms a smooth, stiff, glossy dough that pulls away from the sides of the pot. Add a tablespoon of water if it becomes too stiff while stirring, but avoid adding too much.
4
Shape fufu
Once fully cooked, transfer the fufu to a lightly oiled bowl or wooden mortar. Wet your hands with a little water and shape into individual balls or an oval loaf. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve (about 10–15 minutes).

Egusi Soup

5
Prepare ingredients
If using fresh tomatoes and peppers, blend tomatoes, red bell pepper, and the scotch bonnet to a coarse purée. Grind the egusi seeds to a fine meal (or use pre-ground egusi). Wash and chop the bitter leaf or spinach. Season beef with 1 stock cube and a pinch of salt.
6
Parboil meat
In a medium pot, add beef, 1 chopped half of the onion, 1 stock cube, and about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until meat is tender (25–40 minutes depending on cut). Skim foam as needed. Reserve the meat and stock.
7
Brown meat (optional)
In a separate saucepan or when meat is done, heat 2 tbs cooking oil over medium-high heat. Brown the parboiled beef pieces briefly to develop flavor, about 4–6 minutes. Add browned meat back to the pot with reserved stock.
8
Heat palm oil
In a large heavy pot, warm 3/4 cup palm oil over medium heat. Allow it to become fully melted and hot but not smoking. Add chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent.
9
Add tomato mixture
Carefully pour blended tomato/pepper mixture into the palm oil. Fry the tomato mixture for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw tomato smell has reduced and the oil begins to separate from the sauce.
10
Add egusi paste
Mix the ground egusi with 1/2 cup of water to form a thick paste. Drop spoonfuls of the egusi paste into the simmering tomato-and-oil mixture. Do not stir immediately; allow the lumps to set for 3–4 minutes, then gently break and stir them into the sauce. Fry for 8–10 minutes, allowing the egusi to cook through and thicken the soup.
11
Combine meat and stock
Add the parboiled (and browned) beef plus any reserved stock into the pot. If the soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup additional water to reach desired consistency. Stir gently to combine.
12
Season and add seafood
Add the ground crayfish, remaining stock cube (or adjust to taste), and salt. If using smoked fish or smoked turkey, flake and add them now. Simmer for 8–12 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
13
Add greens
Stir in the chopped bitter leaf or spinach. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the greens are tender but still vibrant. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or additional stock cube as needed.
14
Final finish
Turn off heat and drizzle a teaspoon of palm oil on top if desired for color and sheen. Allow the egusi soup to rest for 5 minutes before serving so it thickens slightly.
15
Serve
Spoon hot egusi soup into bowls and serve alongside portions of fufu. To eat traditionally, pinch off a piece of fufu, make an indent, and use it to scoop up the egusi and meat.

Fufu With Egusi Recipe

Ingredients

Fufu

Egusi Soup

Method

Fufu

Prepare water

Add flour

Cook and thicken

Shape fufu

Egusi Soup

Prepare ingredients

Parboil meat

Brown meat (optional)

Heat palm oil

Add tomato mixture

Add egusi paste

Combine meat and stock

Season and add seafood

Add greens

Final finish

Serve

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