Loading your kitchen…
A light, gently drawing soup of tender jute leaves, iru, and a little crayfish. Ewedu is closely associated with Yoruba meals built around a swallow and accompanying soups. Lola Osinkolu describes the traditional ijabe broom used to break down the cooked leaves; a blender is a practical alternative. Alongside amala, gbegiri, and pepper stew, ewedu contributes the slippery texture that helps carry the meal. Cultural context: The Yoruba preparation is described here. Jute leaves are also cooked elsewhere in Africa and beyond; those preparations are not interchangeable cultural aliases.
Ewedu_soup_with_swallow.jpg by Mayejiro, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0
None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.
Full source and image recordSwish the leaves in several bowls of water, lifting them out each time so grit remains behind. Drain.
Bring 400 ml water to a boil. Add the leaves and iru, press the leaves down, and simmer for 5–7 minutes, until tender.
Take the pan off the heat. Use an immersion blender in short bursts to break down the leaves, or beat with a clean food-use ijabe. Leave a little texture rather than making a completely liquid puree.
Add the crayfish, if using, and salt. Return to low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring gently.
If too thick to flow from a ladle, stir in the extra hot water little by little. Serve immediately as a small soup portion with amala and the other accompaniments.
No potash is needed in this version. For frozen plain chopped jute, start with less water because the thawed leaves release liquid; follow the package handling directions. Timing: active preparation 15 min; cooking 10 min; additional passive time 0 min; conservative planning allowance 25 min. Some stages may overlap. Recipe status: Research draft; not kitchen-tested. Allergens and checks: Crustacean shellfish if crayfish is used
Research draft; not kitchen-tested
Also known as: Jute-leaf soup
The Yoruba preparation is described here. Jute leaves are also cooked elsewhere in Africa and beyond; those preparations are not interchangeable cultural aliases.
Allergens: Crustacean shellfish if crayfish is used
Fatima CooksGbègìrì_soup.jpg by Bamjos, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0
None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.
Full source and image record
Halima’s Home Cooking
Dunni CooksSemo_and_Egusi.jpg by Ogundele1, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0
None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.
Full source and image record
Temi’s Yoruba KitchenBeans_and_Corn_(maize)_porridge.jpg by Nancy Nwachukwu, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 4.0
None by this package; original downloaded file bytes preserved. Source-file adaptations, if any, are credited separately.
Full source and image record
Maryam’s Kitchen
Sade's One PotPhoto by Oyebolaesther · CC BY-SA 4.0
Resized proportionally to 900x1200 pixels; converted to WebP at quality 87; no cropping or content edits.
Around the table 0
Be the first to start the conversation.