Warm palm oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add chopped red onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, minced habanero chile, and salt to the oil.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown and sweet (about 15 minutes).

Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and partly cover the pan.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has a rich tomato-soup consistency (about 25 minutes).

While the sauce simmers, pulse egusi or pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender to a fine powder, until it just starts to get clumpy.

Remove the powdered seeds to a bowl.

When the tomatoes have reduced, add the shrimp powder (or smoked paprika and fish sauce to taste) and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, to the bowl of egusi powder until it is a loose paste.

Add the egusi paste on top of the tomato sauce and spread it out.

Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir the sauce all together, it will look like a thick porridge.

Add a few splashes of water and increase heat to a boil.

Stir in the roughly chopped spinach until wilted and tender.

Taste and season with salt (or more fish sauce, if using).

Serve with boiled sweet plantains.