West Africa · Soup
Sauce Goussi (Rich Egusi Melon Seed and Smoked Meat Stew)
A velvety, golden melon seed stew studded with succulent smoked fish and tender beef, slow-simmered in aromatic red palm oil.
The story
In central Benin among the Yoruba and Nagot communities, Sauce Goussi stands as the crowning centerpiece of celebratory wedding banquets. The soup relies on freshly ground seeds of Citrullus lanatus (egusi melon), which emulsify into thick, pillowy curds when cooked without premature stirring. Traditionally, cooks toast the dried seeds lightly on a clay griddle prior to stone-milling to release essential aromatic lipids that elevate the broth.
Cook this next
Monyo (Zesty Raw Onion, Pepper, and Smoked Fish Relish)
A piquant coastal Beninese relish of bruised red onions, fiery habaneros, and flaked smoked fish steeped in aromatic heated palm or vegetable oil.
Ablo (Steamed Fermented Mini Rice and Corn Breads)
Delicately sweet, spongy fermented rice and corn cakes steamed in individual portions.
Adalu (Savory Corn and Black-Eyed Bean Stew)
A luscious, slow-cooked pottage of sweet corn kernels and tender black-eyed peas enriched with spiced red palm oil.
Adowè (Silky Peeled White Bean Puree with Red Palm Oil)
A velvet-smooth puree of skinned white beans crowned with fragrant, onion-infused red palm oil.