African Food and Art

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History of Egusi Melon Seed Plants

The ancient wild egusi melon is grown in Africa and is a bitter tasting vegetable with hard light green flesh loved for its seeds.

Wild watermelon egusi seeds are a fat and protein-rich seeds of the cucurbitaceous plant. The seeds are used in preparing egusi soup, a kind of soup thickened with the ground egusi seeds cooked with water, oil and typically containing vegetables, seasonings and meat. Egusi stew is popular in many West and Central African countries.

Wild watermelon growing

Egusi Melon Seeds In Africa

Colocynthis citrullus or egusi melon is classified as a vegetable and part of the cucumber family. Most kinds of egusi melons are grown for their seeds, not for the flesh. Bitter egusi melon is an indigenous crop and originates in southern Africa and occurs naturally in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. Egusi seeds are frequently added to soups and stews.

Watermelon for sale in West Africa

As a member of the gourd family, egusi melon can grow just anywhere, from humid gullies, to dry savannahs and even tropical highlands depending on the type. Bitter watermelons like the egusi are originally from Namibia in southern Africa, and are one of the most common types of melon.

Egusi melons can grow in the Kalahari Desert and are indigenous to tropical Africa. Egusi melons once established are drought tolerant and an important source of water for living things. Egusi melons are an heirloom type of watermelon, the grandmother of all watermelons. Its flesh contains a tough white tissue, making it unlikely to be eaten raw.

For this reason, it is a popular source of water in the diet of the African Kalahari people. The Egusi melon is also a source of water and food for wild and domestic animals.

The melon is high in vitamin C, minerals, fat, and starch. Because of its hard flesh, it is usually pickled or cooked as a vegetable. The leaves are cooked as vegetable also. Egusi melons firm flesh is comparable to the rind of the watermelon, the part usually thrown away. Egusi melons originate from southern Africa and occurs naturally in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.

Egusi melons look just like a watermelon on the outside but are very quite different. Its flesh is biter tough tissue and is used mainly for their seeds. The seeds are the stars of the show which are actually edible nutritious oil and protein similar to pumpkin seeds. In many parts of Botswana, Kenya and Nigeria, the egusi seed makes an excellent snack.

Egusi seeds are also roasted and ground into a paste similar to peanut butter. Egusi seeds are frequently added to soups and stews.

Egusi melon seeds can be pressed into patties used like a meat substitute and its oil used for cooking like palm oil, cotton or groundnut oils.

Egusi looks just like a watermelon on the outside but is actually quite different.
Egusi Melon or Citrullus lanatus goes by many names such as bitter watermelon, bitterboela, bitterwaatlemoen, ibotola, karkoer, makataan, Tsamma melon, t'sama Kalahari melon and wild watermelon. Bitter watermelon originates in southern Africa and occurs naturally in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.

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