Melon Seed Soup

Name: Melon Seed Soup (Agushi Nkwan)
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Ghanaian
Ingredients: 8 ounces boneless or 1 pound bone-in meat (goat, oxtail, lamb, beef, etc.), fat trimmed and cut into 12 pieces; 6 ounces smoked fish (not smoked and salted herrings); 6 ounces smoked fish (not smoked and salted herrings); 1 cup agushi or pumpkin seeds; 2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped; ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried ground red pepper (or to taste) or a small amount of fresh chili pepper—for habanero, this would likely be a thin slice (see heat chart); 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional); ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried ground red pepper (or to taste) or a small amount of fresh chili pepper—for habanero, this would likely be a thin slice (see heat chart); ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried ground red pepper (or to taste) or a small amount of fresh chili pepper—for habanero, this would likely be a thin slice (see heat chart); Salt or seasoned salt to taste; 1 large onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped; 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced (optional); Salt or seasoned salt to taste; 8 ounces boneless or 1 pound bone-in meat (goat, oxtail, lamb, beef, etc.), fat trimmed and cut into 12 pieces; 8 ounces boneless or 1 pound bone-in meat (goat, oxtail, lamb, beef, etc.), fat trimmed and cut into 12 pieces; 1 large onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped; 8 ounces boneless or 1 pound bone-in meat (goat, oxtail, lamb, beef, etc.), fat trimmed and cut into 12 pieces

Agushi Nkwan

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Ghana Cookbook

By Fran Osseo-Asare and Barbara Baëta

Published 2015

About

Ghanaians frequently use ground seeds and nuts to thicken soups. This recipe uses a kind of melon seed that gives it a mild nutty flavor. If agushi seeds are not available, use pumpkin seeds. This soup is reminiscent of peanut/groundnut soup, and a good substitute for anyone with peanut allergies.

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless or 1 pound bone-in meat (goat, oxtail, lamb, beef, etc.), fat trimmed and cut int

Africa
Ghana
Gluten-free
Soup

Method

Directions

Season meat

Put the meat into a soup pot with 1 cup of water. Add half the chopped onion/shallots, ¼ teaspoon salt, the garlic, ginger, and ground red pepper or chili pepper.
Stir, cover, and simmer on low heat until the meat is almost tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the cut of meat. Add a little