Scent leaf Pesto with Egusi seeds

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This would be Nigerian pesto if there ever was such a thing. Take scent leaves and coconut and aromatics, season and combine with crushed, toasted egusi seeds. Have it with abacha. Think of that as the pasta of our nation :).

Add some fish. And you’re good to go.

I’ve been thinking of ingredients which could lend texture to a Nigerian pesto, from garri to melon seeds. I’m the end, I went with the latter because I wanted nutty flavours.

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Flavours that could act as pine nuts and parmesan cheese at the same time.

This works beautifully.

It also allowed me ‘launch’ one of my many grinding utensils – a three-legged bowl with a really tough interior purchased from a Ghanaian lady in Lagos.

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It worked a treat in crushing seeds.

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I simply added about 2 tablespoons of crushed seeds to half a cup of my scent leaf dip.

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Perfect for Nigerian pasta.

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