Seafood Beniseed Soup

Ingredients

• 180 g (1 1/4 cups)sesame seeds
• 1.81 kg (4 lb; 907 g crab, 454 g shrimp, 454 g clams)seafood
• 227 g (1/2 lb)dried or smoked seafood (the recipe uses dried smoked shrimp)
• 60 g (2 cups)chopped spinach
• 480 ml (2 cups)seafood stock
• 1 largeonion, sliced
• 4plum tomatoes
• 2scotch bonnet peppers, chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)palm oil
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)ground crayfish
• 15 ml (3 tsp)shrimp bouillon
• to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the seeds

   Rinse the sesame seeds in a fine-mesh sieve and drain them. Put them in a shallow pan and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10–15 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted.

2. 2

   Blend the tomatoes

   Blend the tomatoes and set them aside.

3. 3

   Grind the seeds

   Leave the toasted sesame seeds to cool completely, then grind them to a powder in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Stop once they are powdered, before they turn into a paste.

4. 4

   Cook the aromatics

   In a pot, sauté the sliced onion and chopped scotch bonnet peppers over medium heat for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Reduce the tomatoes

   Add the blended tomatoes and sauté for a further 15 minutes, until reduced to a paste.

6. 6

   Add the seasoning

   Lower the heat and stir in the ground crayfish and shrimp bouillon. Sauté for another 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Simmer the stock

   Add the seafood stock, cover the pot and cook the stew over low heat for 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Cook the seafood

   Add the seafood and stir, then add the dried or smoked shrimp. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

9. 9

   Stir in the sesame

   Gradually add the ground sesame seeds, stirring them into the stew. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

10. 10

    Finish with spinach

    Stir in the chopped spinach and adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

11. 11

    Serve the stew

    Serve with traditional fufu or rice.

What is beniseed soup?

Beniseed is another name for sesame, and beniseed soup is a Nigerian stew with a thick, seed-based consistency. It belongs to a family of Nigerian soups made with ground nuts or seeds, but sesame gives this version its own distinctive flavour.

Here, toasted sesame is ground and stirred into a tomato and seafood base. The combination of seafood, crayfish and smoked shrimp gives the stew depth, while spinach is added near the end.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 505 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

Sesame and palm oil provide much of the stew's energy and fat, while rice or fufu served alongside adds most of the meal's carbohydrate. The seafood contributes protein, though the exact amount varies with the mix used. For a balanced plate, serve a moderate portion with extra spinach or another vegetable.

Toasting and grinding sesame

Toasting: Stir the seeds continuously over medium heat so they toast evenly without scorching. They are ready when fragrant and lightly toasted, after 10–15 minutes.

Grinding: Let the seeds cool completely before processing. Stop as soon as they become powder; continued grinding can release their oils and turn them into a paste.

Building the stew base

Tomatoes: Give the blended tomatoes the full 15 minutes to reduce to a paste before adding the stock. A more concentrated base helps the finished stew stay thick and flavourful.

Seasoning: The crayfish and shrimp bouillon cook briefly in the tomato mixture before the stock goes in. Add salt cautiously, since the stock, bouillon and seafood may already contribute seasoning.

Adding the seafood

Order: The recipe adds the seafood and then the dried or smoked shrimp before the ground sesame. Stir carefully so the seafood is distributed through the stew.

Timing: Follow the listed 15-minute covered simmer for the seafood, then simmer the stew with the sesame for another 15 minutes. Seafood pieces vary in size, so check that they are cooked through before serving.

Getting the texture right

Sesame: Add the ground seeds gradually while stirring to help them blend into the stew rather than forming clumps. The stew should thicken as the sesame simmers in the stock and tomato base.

Spinach: Stir it in for the final 5 minutes. This gives it time to soften without disappearing into the stew.

Serving suggestions

Fufu: Serve the stew with traditional fufu for a hearty pairing that can be used to scoop up the thick sauce.

Rice: Rice is the other suggested accompaniment and makes it easy to serve the soup as a substantial meal. Keep extra salt to taste at the table rather than seasoning heavily before checking the broth.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a fine-mesh sieve to rinse the sesame seeds without losing them down the sink.
• Keep the seeds moving as they toast, particularly towards the end of the 10–15 minutes.
• Cool the sesame seeds fully before grinding to help keep them from becoming a paste.
• Stir as you add the ground sesame so it disperses evenly through the stew.
• Taste before adding salt because the stock and bouillon may already be seasoned.
• Check the seafood for doneness before serving, as pieces can differ in size.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: Use fewer scotch bonnet peppers for a milder stew.
• Choose the seafood: Keep the crab, shrimp and clams as listed, or use a different seafood mix.
• Use dried shrimp: The recipe uses dried smoked shrimp, which adds a smoky note to the stew.
• Serve with fufu: Pair the stew with traditional fufu for a filling meal.
• Serve with rice: Spoon the stew over or alongside rice instead.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Scorching the seeds: Stir constantly over medium heat and remove them once fragrant and toasted.
• Grinding too far: Stop when the sesame is powdery so it does not become a paste.
• Adding sesame too quickly: Stir it in gradually to help prevent clumps.
• Skipping the tomato reduction: Cook the blended tomatoes for the full 15 minutes, until they form a paste.
• Over-seasoning early: Taste the stew before adding salt, as the stock and bouillon may be salty.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until steaming hot throughout, stirring carefully; add a little water or stock if the stew has thickened.

Frequently asked questions