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How many of us can recall when as means of relaxation our mothers will take to ‘breaking Egusi’ and having a good chat with friends and family… Was that the equivalent of having a cup of tea and cake with friends? Today we hardly see the ‘unbroken’ or more appropriately, unshelled melon seed and when I came across the photograph below it got me wondering about the antecedents of the ubiquitous Melon Seed (Egusi).
The Melon Seed (Egusi comes from the Gourd/Melon, a plant similar to the Watermelon and is considered to be the ancestor of the water melon. Unlike the water melon however it is inedible. The scientific name is Manns cucumeropsis or white seed melon. It is a plant native to West and Central Africa.
Traditionally the Gourd/Melon grew wild and when matured it will be harvested, cut open and left to ferment. After a couple of days the pulp would soften, the seeds scooped out and washed and left to dry. Slowly and surely the processing of Melon Seed (Egusi) has become more mechanised so that the coring, drying, dehulling, washing and blending are now done by mechanised processes so that all we see now is the ground coarse Melon Seed (Egusi) powder. The use of these techniques ensure that processing time is shortened, a larger amount can be processed and the most use is made of the Gourd/Melon plant including extracting oils which can be used for the manufacture of margarine and the residual cake which is added to livestock feed as an essential protein. The seeds can also now be eaten as a snack on their own, when roasted like groundnuts or otherwise used a supplementary baby food if processed and liquidised.
The Melon Seed (Egusi) is a good source of potassium and calcium, minerals that regulate blood pressure. It is a rich source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. And as a plant food it is cholesterol free.
Just picture this…. Women washing Melon Seed (Egusi) seeds in the stream, spreading out to dry, breaking when dry and being pounded into a paste ready for cooking. How far the Melon Seed (Egusi) has come…. Where will it be in the next 100 years. A side sauce like ketchup, a flavour in ice cream or crisps… We hope it continues to be eaten as a soup with our fufu….
EazyNaijFoods makes an Egusi Soup Meal Kit to enable you cook Egusi Soup in 2 easy steps.
