Seafood Beniseed Soup
Beniseed or sesame seed, whichever name you choose to call it, makes one of the most delicious Nigerian stews ever, locally known as beniseed soup. Beniseed soup is a stew very similar in consistency to other nut or seed soups popular in Nigeria, but with its own distinct taste.
- Prep time
- 14 min
- Cook time
- 31 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 ¼ cups sesame seeds
- 4 lbs seafood ((2lbs crabs, 1lb shrimp, 1 lb clams)
- ½ lb dried/ smoked seafood ((I used dried smoked shrimp))
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 2 cups seafood stock
- 1 large onion ((sliced))
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers ((chopped))
- ¼ cup palm oil
- 3 tbsp ground crayfish
- 3 tsp shrimp bullion
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the sesame seeds in a fine mesh sieve and drain. Place the seeds in a shallow pan, and toast stirring consistently on medium heat for 10- 15 minutes or until the sesame seeds are toasty and fragrant.
- 2
Blend the tomatoes and set aside.
- 3
Allow the sesame seeds to cool completely, then grind into a powder in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Once the sesame seeds are powdered. Stop grinding so that the sesame seeds don't turn into a paste.
- 4
In pot, saute the onions and scotch bonnet peppers on medium heat until for 5 minutes.
- 5
Add in the blended tomatoes and saute for another 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be reduced to a paste.
- 6
Turn the heat down to low, then add in the crayfish and shrimp bullion. Saute for another 5 minutes.
- 7
After 5 minutes, add in the stock, and continue cooking the stew covered on low heat for 10 minutes.
- 8
After 10 minutes, add in the seafood, stir and add in the smoked and dried shrimp. Cover and allow to cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- 9
Begin adding in the ground sesame seeds. Stir, and into the stew, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- 10
After 15 minutes, add in the chopped spinach, stir and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 11
Serve the stew with traditional fufu, or with rice.