Nigeria

This dish was just fabulous, like nothing I've ever tasted before. I went back for seconds and everything... it was "lick the plate clean" good. And I don't say that lightly!

Egusi stew gets its name from egusi seeds, which are edible melon seeds. The recipe says that pumpkin seeds make a good substitute so I went with those. The unusal part of the dish is the red palm oil. I intitally thought that any old oil would do but that woudn't have been the same at all. The oil is thick, has a really earthy aroma and gives the dish a great red colour. Use olive oil and you would get a competely different (and not at all african) dish. We picked up the oil easily enough in the ethnic food store on Talbot street.

It probably doesn't look like much, blame my photgraphy skills, but its a super dish and one I would recommend to all. Try something different, give this dish a go.

Recipe

(taken from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Spiciness-of-Nigerian-Food-and-a-Favorite-Egusi-Stew-Recipe-of-Western-Africa&id=2847527)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Salt to taste

1/3 cup red palm oil

1-2 tins tomatoes

1 small onion, chopped

2 habanero chile peppers, stemmed and halved

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2/4 cup water

1 1/4 pounds fresh shrimp, heads and shells removed

1 pound fresh spinach, with stems, chopped

Directions:

Put the pumpkin seeds in a food processor and blend for about 20 seconds until in a powdery form. Reserve.

Salt the chicken, then in a large casserole frying pan, heat the red palm oil over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides, for about 6 minutes in all.

Place the tomatoes, onion, and habanero pepper in the food processor, and blend for about30 seconds, or until very smooth. Reduce the heat to low, and cover partially. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken can be easily pulled off the bone with a fork, or about 1 1/2 hours.

Add the water and shrimp and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the spinach and the reserved ground seeds and continue simmering for about 10 minutes more, Serve immediately. This Egusi African Stew recipe makes 6 servings.