Ewedu Soup
Fresh ewedu (jute) leaves, fermented locust beans (iru) and ground crayfish come together in this vegan β 60 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, the ingredients are plant-based.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Strip the ewedu leaves from their tough stems, then wash them thoroughly in several changes of cold water and drain.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil in a medium pot, stir in the potash or baking soda, then add the leaves and cook for about 5 minutes until they soften and turn a vivid green.
- Add the fermented locust beans, ground crayfish, crumbled bouillon cubes and the chopped scotch bonnet, and let everything simmer together for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Using a traditional broom whisk (ijabe) or an immersion blender, work the leaves briefly until the soup becomes smooth, slightly thickened and draws into the characteristic slippery, mucilaginous texture.
- Return the pot to low heat and let it simmer for a further 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the soup reaches a light, pourable consistency.
- Taste and adjust with salt, then serve hot alongside a richer stew such as gbegiri or obe ata, and a swallow like amala or eba.
You'll use: Large pot Β· Saucepan Β· Blender Β· Whisk
Tips & common questions
How long does Ewedu Soup take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Ewedu Soup vegan?
Based on its ingredients, this recipe contains no meat, fish, dairy or egg, so it looks vegan-friendly. Always double-check labels on packaged items.
Related recipes
Ewedu Soup is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Amala and Ewedu Soup 19 04.jpg by Lord Ajax 001, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.