It has been a while since I last shared a traditional Nigerian recipe, and honestly, I was going to share another cake recipe (coming but next), but recently I had a hankering for something a little interesting. Beniseed, Benne seed 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 native Nigerian stew made from sesame seeds or Beniseed as they are locally known. It is also known as Esa soup in the Nigerian middle belt region around Benue state inhabited by the Tiv tribe that call it ‘ishwa’ soup and Kogi State where it is known as ‘igogo’ soup. It is also common in parts of North Nigeria where the soup is known as ‘ridi’ in Hausa. Other names include ‘ekuku’, ‘isasa’, and ‘epigorigo’.
Beniseed soup is an intensely flavorful and delicious stew, very similar in consistency to other nut or seed soups (like Egusi, almond and peanut stew), but with its own oily distinct taste. It boasts a flavor profile that is quite unique. The soup has a slightly bitter and very nutty taste, and packs quite the flavor punch. It is commonly eaten in the middle belt states of Nigeria with popular starch staples (commonly called fufu) like pounded yam and eba. I used seafood in this beniseed soup recipe, but you are welcome to make it vegetarian or vegan by making the stew without any animal products. To Yummy Medley readers in the west and middle east, if you like the taste of tahinni I would recommend you give this stew a try, it will kick your love for sesame seeds to a new level.
Beniseed Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 and a quarter cup sesame seeds
- 4 pounds or 1.8 kg of seafood (2lbs crabs, 1lb shrimp, 1 lb clams)
- A half pound or 226 grams of dried/ smoked seafood (I used dried smoked shrimp)
- 2 cups of chopped spinach
- 2 cups of seafood stock
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers (chopped)
- A quarter cup of palm oil
- 3 tablespoons of ground crayfish
- 3 shrimp bullion
- salt to taste
How to Prepare:
- 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.
- Blend the tomatoes and set aside.
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.
In pot, saute the onions and scotch bonnet peppers on medium heat until for 5 minutes.
- Add in the blended tomatoes and saute for another 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be reduced to a paste.
- Turn the heat down to low, then add in the crayfish and shrimp bullion. Saute for another 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add in the stock, and continue cooking the stew covered on low heat for 10 minutes.
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.
Begin adding in the ground sesame seeds. Stir, and into the stew, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add in the chopped spinach, stir and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve the stew with traditional fufu, or with rice
Nutrition Facts
Beniseed is a rich source of vitamin A, which is further supplemented by palm oil used in the recipe (also a good source of Vitamin A), but due to the already high fat contained in beniseed, the palm oil is used minimally, since the heat will cause a release of said fat from the seeds [2]. Also note that neither beniseed or beniseed soup is a good source of fiber [1]. This means a side salad dish or fruit salad dish as a dessert is highly recommended!
Seafood Beniseed Soup
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- Blend the tomatoes and set aside.
- 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.
- In pot, saute the onions and scotch bonnet peppers on medium heat until for 5 minutes.
- Add in the blended tomatoes and saute for another 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be reduced to a paste.
- Turn the heat down to low, then add in the crayfish and shrimp bullion. Saute for another 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add in the stock, and continue cooking the stew covered on low heat for 10 minutes.
- 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.
- Begin adding in the ground sesame seeds. Stir, and into the stew, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, add in the chopped spinach, stir and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve the stew with traditional fufu, or with rice.
References
- M.A. Agiang, I.B. Umoh, A.I. Essien and M.U. Eteng, 2010. Nutrient Changes and Antinutrient Contents of Beniseed and Beniseed Soup during Cooking using a Nigerian Traditional Method. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 13: 1011-1015.
- M.O. Adegunwa, A.A. Adebowale and E.O. Solano, 2012. Effect of Thermal Processing on the Biochemical Composition, Anti-nutritional Factors and Functional Properties of Beniseed (Sesamum indicum) Flour. American Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2: 175-182.
14 Comments
Kitty
May 18, 2018 at 11:20 pmMy husband is a total sucker for seafood stews, and I’m always trying to find a new spin on recipes. Next time we’re thinking of doing a shrimp boil, I’m going to have to give this a whirl.
Amy Nash
May 19, 2018 at 12:37 amWhat a gorgeous, wonderfully rich and flavorful looking soup! I love that you included all of the step-by-step photos. This sounds delicious!
Tamara Andersen
May 19, 2018 at 1:17 pmWow! I love seafood stew in general, but this Nigerian version is calling my name! I live near the Gulf of Mexico, so fresh seafood is very available. I’m looking forward to trying it… Pinned!
prasanna hede
May 19, 2018 at 1:50 pmI love seafood,specially clams,mussels,crabs,oysters…this looks so flavorful!
Leslie
May 19, 2018 at 8:34 pmThis looks phenomenal! Not only does the recipe look and sound amazing, your photos are GORGEOUS!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes)
May 20, 2018 at 6:35 pmThe hubs is always telling me I never cook with seafood enough even though we live in New Orleans. I love that this recipe uses a variety of seafood and I’m sure it would be wonderful with a warm loaf of po-boy bread. This is the perfect recipe to use all those garden vegetables and herbs in!
Carol Borchardt
May 20, 2018 at 7:49 pmJust learned something new! Did not know that sesame seeds were also referred to as beniseed! The flavor of sesame is a favorite of mine and I’m also a seafood lover! Can’t wait to try this dish!
Anne Murphy
May 20, 2018 at 9:51 pmFascinating! I never heard of making soup or stew with seeds – but since I do indeed like tahini, I can see how good it would be! Now I’m curious, and I”ll have to try it!
lauren
May 20, 2018 at 10:29 pmWow, this looks super flavorful. Those bonnet peppers must add quite a kick! I would never have thought to use sesame seeds to make a soup but I’m glad I stumbled onto this recipe, we love trying new things.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
May 21, 2018 at 12:38 amYum! You have the most interesting recipes! This soup looks delicious!!
Lois. O
May 22, 2018 at 3:28 pmThanks Sam!
Julie
May 21, 2018 at 3:34 amI really love sesame seeds as an alternative to nuts – I love the still nutty, yet much more mild, flavor. What a great way to add a new flavor and thicken up the soup a bit!
Michelle Blackwood
May 21, 2018 at 4:18 amWow, this is the perfect recipe for seafood lovers, sounds very flavorful with the seafood stock and pepper.
Kushi
May 21, 2018 at 3:40 pmThis is something new to me. Sounds interesting and looks awesome. Pinning it for later