Egusi Soup

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the mushrooms in an even layer on a small rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and, using your hands, toss to coat. Roast, turning the pan halfway through and tossing the mushrooms, until golden brown and crisp along the edges, about 25 to 35 minutes.

2. Step 2

   If using whole egusi seeds, add to a food processor, pulsing a few times, then grinding, until you get a medium-coarse meal, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Move to a small bowl. (If using ground seeds, add them here.) Combine ground seeds with ½ cup vegetable stock or water. Season lightly with salt and set aside.

3. Step 3

   Make the ata din-din: In the food processor — no need to wipe it out — coarsely chop half of the onion, and all of the garlic and ginger. Add the roasted red bell peppers and pulse to a coarse purée.

4. Step 4

   Thinly slice the remaining onion and heat the red palm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and translucent, 3 minutes. Add the red pepper purée and bring to a simmer. Add the irú or dawadawa powder and the red miso (if using). Drop in the whole chile and add the chopped tomato. Allow to simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce deepens in color, the tomato cooks down and any liquid dries out, about 12 minutes. The ata din-din should resemble a cooked relish with oil on the surface. Season lightly with salt and move about half of the sauce to a bowl.

5. Step 5

   While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the spinach until just wilted and bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and run under cold water immediately. Working in handfuls, squeeze the spinach as dry as you can. You should have about 2 cups packed. Set aside.

6. Step 6

   To the large skillet with ata din-din, increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1½ cups stock. Bring to a simmer and dot the sauce with tablespoonfuls of the egusi purée. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook without stirring until the egusi purée absorbs the stock, thickening and congealing into lumps, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook off any excess liquid, moving the skillet back and forth, to keep the cooked egusi in lumps. Increase the heat back to medium-high, separate the squeezed spinach, and scatter along with the roasted mushrooms into the skillet and top with the reserved ata din-din. Gently stir to distribute the spinach and mushrooms into the sauce, making sure the egusi stays in lumps.

7. Step 7

   Cook until spinach and mushrooms are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, if necessary. Remove the whole chile and discard. Serve immediately, along with hot fufu.