You have probably heard me talk a lot about how egusi is so versatile. but rather than me write a long post about it, i thought it would be better I just dish you out 3 ways I use egusi:
Starter Option:
This is a very mellow starter I have served at several dinners. it works because the flavours are delicate, not too sharp, quite delicious, and very soothing as your mouth isn't doing too much work to begin with.
The Egusi here is in the cream. This dish is; pan fried cod, finished with chicken stock, served with Egusi cream and herb oil.
The cream is made by blending egusi with warm water, and then passing it through a muslin cloth, then mixing a cup of that with a 1:1 ratio of coconut milk and salted heavy cream. Finish with a herb oil. This cream can be used for any protein dish.
Main Option:
Egusi, as I have mentioned before is quite nutty in flavour, and I really like its flavour when roasted, the nuttiness comes out even more. Where many use breadcrumbs and herbs, I have opted to use crushed roasted Egusi, salted and herbed, to crust my rack of lambs in this recipe.
The trick here is to pan or oven roast the melon seeds before crushing them, take half of that crushed seeds and crush even further till it is almost in powdered form, then mix with the herbs, and mix the other half of the crushed seeds as well so you still have chunky bits to chew on with your lamb. By the way, I served this dish with roasted lamb pepper soup. IT WAS HEAVEN.
Dessert Option:
YEP! I have used Egusi is a dessert before, not once, not twice, not....well you get the idea. This is praline recipe that uses very little Ogbono (wild mango seeds), Egusi and groundnut. I have also used Egusi to make a nougat.
To make this praline, all you need to do is mix & add 1 cup of caster sugar and 4 tbsp water into a pot and boil until the mixture turns golden brown, or for a darker look and a slightly sour-sweet taste, let it get darker. now turn the heat off, add your groundnut and toasted egusi, then immediately turn onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and leave to cool, then break into shards.
Lastly, here is the written pesto recipe as I promised in the video:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/3 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 cup Egusi (melon seeds)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste.
So, now you know a few ways to experiment with Egusi. until next time. have fun cooking.
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