Nigeria: Egusi Soup with Local Chicken – Traditional Dish of the Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, and Urhobo Peoples

Egusi soup is one of Nigeria’s most iconic dishes, enjoyed for generations across many regions, especially among the Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, and Urhobo peoples. The word egusi refers to wild melon seeds (Citrullus colocynthis or lanatus), which are very rich in protein and vegetable fats.

Before the introduction of foreign ingredients like tomatoes, bouillon cubes, or refined oil, this soup was made strictly with local products. In its authentic form, it contains neither tomatoes nor processed ingredients, and its richness comes from a skillful blend of natural ingredients:

• bush meat or local chicken, prized for its firm flesh and strong flavor,

• indigenous leaves such as ugu, bitterleaf, or young cassava leaves,

• traditional seasonings like fermented locust beans (iru, ogiri),

• and local peppers, used to enhance the taste.

The cooking is slow, often done in an earthen pot over a wood fire, to develop its full aromatic depth.

Traditionally, it is served with fufu, pounded yam, cassava, or eba, and eaten with family or community, often with the hands, in a spirit of conviviality. More than just a meal, Egusi soup is a festive dish and a cultural marker deeply rooted in village traditions. It symbolizes heritage, connection to the land, and the transmission of ancestral culinary knowledge.

Traditional Egusi Soup with Bush Chicken (Nigeria)
Ingredients (for 4 people)

Meat:

• 1 bush chicken (or local chicken), cut and cleaned

• Salt (to taste)

• Dried or fresh chili pepper (to tolerance)

• 1 to 2 local onions, crushed (optional, depending on the region)

For the soup:

• 1 to 1½ cups ground egusi seeds

• 3 to 4 tablespoons iru (fermented locust beans) or ogiri

• Indigenous leaves:

  • Ugu (fluted pumpkin), or

  • Bitterleaf (washed several times), or

  • Young cassava leaves

• 1 to 2 cups water (just enough for desired consistency)

• Salt to taste

• Dried or fresh chili peppers (quantity to taste)

Preparation

Prepare the chicken:
Clean the local or bush chicken thoroughly. Pre-cook it in an earthen pot (ideally) with a little salt, crushed onion, and chili pepper. No oil is needed.

Prepare the egusi paste:
Mix the ground egusi seeds with a little water to form a thick paste. You can add some iru or ogiri at this stage for extra flavor.

Main cooking:
When the chicken is nearly cooked, add the egusi paste directly into the pot.
Stir gently and let simmer over low heat.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking (or shake the pot, according to tradition).

Add the leaves:
Once the soup begins to thicken and release its natural oil, add the local leaves (ugu, bitterleaf, or cassava).
Cook for a few more minutes until the leaves are tender and well incorporated into the soup.

Adjust seasoning:
Taste and adjust salt or chili as needed.
The soup should be thick, well-flavored, and slightly spicy.