How to Prepare Atama Soup with Egusi (Melon)

How to Prepare Atama Soup with Egusi (Melon)

Atama is a common edible leaf in Nigeria. It is very popular in the southern part of the country, particularly Akwa Ibom. Atama leaves with a combination of egusi which is the igbo name for melon. This combination is another unique recipe for atama soup.

You can also read how to cook atama and waterleaf in this other post. The processes are similar with some few differences which comes as a result of introducing egusi to this particular recipe. If you have read or try my other atama soup recipes, then this recipe will be very easy for you to follw through.

Ingredients for Atama Soup 

• Atama leaves
• Waterleaf
• Melon (Egusi)
• Fish (smoked or fresh fish)
• Meat (goat meat of beef)
• Pepper (scotch bonnet)
• Salt
• Crayfish
• Stock fish
• Seasoning cubes
• Periwinkle
• Ponmo (Cowskin)
• Palm oil

Prepping the Ingredients 

Below I will show the easiest ways of preparing the ingredients that we are using for this recipe.

Atama Leaves 

Wash the atama leaves very well, sun dry it then chop into very thin slices. Slicing leaves and vegetables is one of the skills many Nigerians has. But if you don’t know how to do this, or you don’t feel comfortable doing it, you can always buy an already sliced atama leave or asked the seller to do it for you. They always do that for an extra fee.

Use hot water to rinse the atama leaves after slicing to remove the bitterness. You will need to repeat this process a few times depending on how bitter the atama is. Press the leaves to remove any leftover water in it, then set it aside.

Waterleaf

Wash the waterleaf thoroughly, then proceed to chop it into smaller pieces. If it’s too slimy, wash the slime of using water and a kitchen filter.

Waterleaf

Meat

You also have to begin nlby washing your meat, before boiling. After boiling for a few minutes, add salt, pepper, and seasoning cubes, then cook it for several minutes till it tenders.

Melon (Egusi)

It’s preferable you buy the already grounded melon seeds to save you time. But if you bought the ungrounded seeds, you can easily grind it using a manual or electric grinder or blender.

Preparing Atama Soup with Egusi (Melon)

Cooking atama soup with egusi is one of the satisfying experience you would love to have as a Nigerian food lover. The process is quite straightforward and simple. Below are the steps involved.

Start by adding the already cooked meat to a pot, heat it for some minutes till it boils. Proceed to add waterleaf, stir and allow it to boil for some minutes.

Add stockfish, smoked or fresh fish, pepper, seasoning cubes, palm oil, periwinkle, crayfish and add salt to taste. Stir well for all the ingredients to mix well.

After boiling for several minutes, add the grounded melon (egusi), but keep the pot open. After a few minutes, you will notice the melon will change it’s texture and becomes more sticky. When you notice this change, it’s time to add the atama leaves.

You will feel a strong aroma of the atama coming out of the pot, yeah your food is just a few minutes from getting done. Boil for some extra meat and your atama soup is ready to be served.

Conclusion

Atama is very sweet and healthy soup that is enjoyed by a lot of people in Nigeria. When combined with egusi, it brings out a combined flavour with is very savory. This post has pointed out the ingredients used in preparing atama soup with egusi and the process of cooking the soup.