Why do we work? Struggle to write posts every day? Submit the best well crafted application? Build the biggest companies and the successful small and medium enterprise businesses? Different people will answer these questions differently, trying to cover up the fundamentals which is survival. And do you know what is at the heart of human survival, food & shelter.
Just take a quick visit to your psychology class, and revisit the Maslow Hierarchy of needs, what is at the bottom?
Don't tell me you did not find my favourite food below, good quality EGUSI soup, with Eba, Garri or even fufu.
You will need a good Nigerian dish class to be able to differentiate the solid elements that must go with EGUSI soup, but you can call them swallow.
My Love for EGUSI soup
EGUSI is not an ordinary soup that you spell using sentence case (there's nothing like Egusi or egusi, EGUSI soup is bigger than that; all caps please).
Sometimes, I wonder the inspiration, the science, and the chemistry behind EGUSI soup. How did my ancestors made the discovery that a combination of EGUSI (melon seeds) with some other edible stuffs will produce such a tasty and admirable dish?
What's there not to love about about EGUSI soup? Here are some reasons I love it and why you should be interested:
- It is tasty
- It is pretty
- It is succulent
- It is nutritious
- It is good
- It is attractive
- It is welcoming
I've probably repeated myself, but I did it all for EGUSI soup. There is just something about EGUSI soup that brings people together, from the bright yellow colour to the inviting aroma, you can never go wrong.
How EGUSI soup is prepared
Though, I am more of the end product guy and never really cared much about the process, my mum and my beloved sisters are always to the rescue. Still, I know a little here and there of what is involved.
To prepare EGUSI soup, you need the melon seed grinded (that's the primary ingredient), other important ones include the fish, the meat, leaves (Ugwu or bitterleaf or even the chaya leaf - hospital too far can go, EGUSI is welcoming), palm oil is a must, all the other nitty gritty like pepper, salt, onion, etc. must be available, among some few others I may have skipped.
When you have all that is needed, you will need to apply the principle of cooperation to unify all the components, and if done right and meticulously, your reward is a good plate of EGUSI soup.
Final Words
EGUSI! Chai!