Listing description
Egusi (“Citrullus Lanatus”) is a
melon that looks exactly like watermelon on the outside, but completely different
on the inside–with it’s bitter white flesh and seeds.
It grows wild in
warm, arid regions of Africa and Asia. The people of “Nigeria” and “Congo” call
it wild watermelon, Egusi melon, or Ibara. Egusi can grow just about
anywhere: humid gullies, dry savannahs, tropical highlands.
Detailed description
Egusi, a wild member of the gourd family, has the potential to
spread its popularity on the global market nearly as quickly as it grows.
Native to parts of Western Africa, this peculiar looking plant can grow just
about anywhere, from humid gullies, to dry savannahs, to tropical highlands
–making it possible source of food for farmers in even the worst conditions.
Although the egusi looks almost identical to its cousin, the
watermelon, don’t be fooled, they are actually quite different. Because
the egusi is filled with very dry, bitter flesh, the seeds are the true
delicacy of this melon. Composed of nearly 50 percent edible oil and another 30
percent pure protein, these little seeds pack a lot of nutrition into a very
small package. In many parts of Africa, where farmers lack access to meat or
dairy, the high oil and protein content can make an excellent dietary
supplement.
While the seeds are often shelled and eaten individually as a
snack, many processed forms of the seeds have made their way into common
cooking practices. After soaking, fermenting, or boiling, the seeds take on
different flavors and are frequently added to thicken soups and stews. On their
own, the seeds can also be roasted and ground into a spread like peanut
butter. With further preparation, egusi-seed meal can be pressed into
patties to be used like a meat substitute, and its oil can be used for cooking.
The egusi plant is also easy to grow. It is extremely resilient
to pests and diseases and because it blankets the ground as it grows, it can
help suppress weeds. Because of this, farmers often intercrop egusi with other
crops, including sorghum, cassava, coffee, cotton, maize, or bananas.
Mature egusi melons can also remain in the field for a long time without
rotting, so crop loss and waste is rare. And once the seeds are harvested, they
can be a reliable year-round food source because they store well.
The egusi can also be an important supplementary baby food,
helping prevent malnutrition. Blending the seeds with water and honey produces
a milky liquid that can be used as formula if breast milk is unavailable,
making the plant as diverse in its uses as it is easy to grow!
The characteristics and uses of
all these seeds are broadly similar.
Etymology
Usage
Egusi soup is a kind of soup thickened
with the ground seeds and popular in West
Africa, with considerable local variation.[2] Besides the seeds, water, and oil, egusi
soup typically contains leaf
vegetables, other vegetables, seasonings, and meat. Typical leaf vegetables for egusi soup include bitterleaf, celosia and spinach.
Typical other vegetables include tomatoes and okra. Typical seasonings include chili
peppers, onions, and iru (fermented beans). Typical meats include beef, goat, fish, shrimp, or crayfish.
In Nigeria, egusi is very
popular among the Igbo
people of
southeastern Nigeria, the Ibibio
people and the Efik
people (Calabar
people) of Southern Nigeria, the Hausa of northern Nigeria and the Yoruba
people, Edo
people, Esan
people, and Etsako people of the southwest of Nigeria. Yoruba
people in
general and quite notably the people of Ọṣun State –
especially the Ijesha people – eat ‘Iyan and Egusi’, a pounded
yam and egusi soup.
In the late 1980s, the Canadian
government funded a project intended to develop a machine to help Cameroonians
shell egusi seeds. A
machine has been developed in Nigeria to shell egusi.
PRICE
$38.60/KG OR
$13/IB
For more information:
mobile: +2348039721941
contact person: emeaba uche
e-mail: emeabau@yahoo.com
website: www.franchiseminerals.com
No comments:
Post a Comment