# **INTRODUCTION.** Good evening everybody! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. For me, I really thank God for everything. My post this evening is on how to prepare egusi (melon) soup with vegetable (ugu) leaf. ![1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmT5qsWofNDcABeDT48TWoGZuyBcSKrXYrGgqidf89eZqv/1.jpg) ![Plain line.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcfy2vciH6gJJwW522i92GrrYcCeNPmWRWBdyQ6aSekK5/Plain%20line.jpg) **INGREDIENTS.** - *Egusi or melon* - *Vegetable (Ugu) leaf* - *Stock fish/Dry fish or meat* - *Red or palm oil* - *Crayfish* - *Salt* - *Pepper* - *Seasoning cube* ![5.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmeW4afc1AH54qRu6yykdsW5YyMKTuoJLoDssKwrM6noCo/5.jpg) ![Plain line.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcfy2vciH6gJJwW522i92GrrYcCeNPmWRWBdyQ6aSekK5/Plain%20line.jpg) **PREPARATION.** - Grind the egusi, if not grinded. It’s possible to buy grinded one from market. - Wash the vegetable (Ugu) leaf thoroughly. Cut/chop it into desired size if you can do that. If you don’t know how to do it, some of the seller will cut/chop it for you. - Wash the stock or dry fish with hot water, for steaming or parboiling. Same thing with the meat. It’s advisable to parboil the meat differently. - Sort the crayfish by removing unwanted particles, after which you grind it as well. - Most pepper are already grinded, that’s the type I used. ![Plain line.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcfy2vciH6gJJwW522i92GrrYcCeNPmWRWBdyQ6aSekK5/Plain%20line.jpg) **COOKING.** I planned to cook this soup in a different way by frying the egusi. The first thing I did was to place my pot on the burner to dry of water. I added the red oil and allowed it to heat up. I first added little salt in the hot oil before adding the egusi. Immediately I add the egusi, I started turning it. It’s necessary to keep turning it to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot and get burnt. Once I fried it to my desired taste, I started adding other things. The first was the parboiled stockfish and meat. You may wish to add more water to it. Next was the crayfish, pepper, seasoning cubes as well as salt. Since I did not add much water to it, I have to continue turning it to avoid sticking to the pot. After turning it for a reasonable time frame, when I’m sure everything in the pot is properly cooked, I then add the chopped vegetable (Ugu) leaf. Actually I didn’t allow it to stay much on the burner from the time I added the vegetable leaf because I still want the vegetable leaf to be fresh and greenish. ![4.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmajxuUdq1UzmvY94J5s9MhDdjjd3HQUfq1YouEJdP4xhU/4.jpg) ![Plain line.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcfy2vciH6gJJwW522i92GrrYcCeNPmWRWBdyQ6aSekK5/Plain%20line.jpg) **CONCLUSION.** > Variety is the spice of life! ![2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYKhaEu4VnkPttGYrjcMzpajrPEaf5b6wCNKhAjMdbreh/2.jpg) Our creator made varieties of things for our enjoyment. Frying egusi to make egusi soup usually gives a different taste from the regular method of adding egusi in a boiling water. That makes for variety! ![3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRzsqrNEuuY8QECWUv1i78dak7jCrSvGhNRN21Ryjuqgr/3.jpg)