Ewedu - Jute Leaves Soup

Ewedu soup is a delicacy in Nigeria. Apart from being delicious and nutritious, it is very simple to make. The soup is usually served with beans stew together with beef stew, or fish stew and can be a mouth-watering accompaniment to many solid meals like pounded yam and fufu.

Ewedu

Ewedu, Jute leaves soup, Mulukhiyah, or Molokhia – I know you will be surprised by how many names this delicious soup is called. It is very popular not only in West Africa but in the Middle East, East Africa, and North Africa.

The preparation of the jute leaves soup and how it’s served varies from region to region. For example, in some regions, the jute leaves are plucked off the stem and they are left to dry for later use, some also use the dry leaves to make tea, the Chinese also makes stir-fries with the fresh leaves, while in other regions prefers cooking it fresh and serving it over white Rice.

At the end of this post, I will do a quick rundown on how to cook Mulukhiyah or Molokhia. (Egyptian version of this soup)

What is ewedu?

Ewedu soup is a traditional soup native to the Yoruba part of Nigeria it is often served with Amala or any other traditional swallow food like Eba (freshly made with garri), Pounded yam, or fufu. It is very delicious and nutritious and it has a slimy effect when it’s cooked which is very similar to okra. Talking of okra, you really need to try my amazing African-style stewed okra.

Ewedu may look like any leafy green but the leaves are more gelatinous slippery in nature. It’s a popular dish in the Western part of Nigeria and it’s usually served with a soup called gbegiri (a bean-based stew) and a protein, such as meat stew or fish stew.

Ingredients for making Ewedu

• Fresh or frozen jute leaves – Ewedu leaves can be bought fresh from a local market or frozen at your local African/Caribbean and parsian/indian stores.
• Water – This only applies for frsh ewedu leaves. You will not need water if you buy the frozen pack. It comes with enough water in each pack.
• Locust bean – I love adding locust bean to my ewedu soup. It gives the soup a very rich, deep flavor. However, you may skip this if you are new to it because it has a pungent smell in it's raw form. I also blend this insto the ewedu eaves for my kids so they don't see the ''beans'' and pick them out. 🙂
• Crayfish gives ewedu its rich taste and smell
• Salt and bouillon powder (cube) – A little goes a long way in improving the taste of your ewedu.

What about Potash (kanwu)?

I don't use potash when making ewedu and I believe you don’t have to use it either. If ewedu is well coked, it will turn out with good viscosity.

Oftentimes, overcooking the leaves is what makes the ewedu lose its viscosity and flavor. On the other hand, if you let it cook for too little time, it won't have time to release its natural flavor. So be sure to be hands-on while cooking your soup to prevent overcooking or undercooking.

While I believe potash will not hurt in the tiny quantity used for making ewedu, I understand some people are skeptical because of what we've read and heard. If you really need something a little extra to make great ewedu and don't want to use potash, I will suggest using baking soda, in only a small quantity. Let's say about a quarter to a haft teaspoon for every 8 ounces of ewedu. I hope that helps?

How To Make Ewedu Soup

Making delicious ewedu soup is easy! You do not need to be a professional cook to make this soup. All it takes is a little bit of practice and you will be making the best ewedu soup ever!.

I make ewedu in two ways:

• Using the fresh leaves
• Using the store bought frozen pack

Don't worry, I will show you the two ways.

Fresh leaves

This recipe I grew up eating. While growing up, my mom’s method of preparing jute leaves was easy. The only difficult part was plucking the leaves off the stalk. It takes time and honestly, I am not a fan of this at all :D). 

• All you need to do is to pluck the jute leaves one at a time. Then rinse and drain off the water, If the leaves have some sand in them, it is advisable to just use your hand to pack the jute leaves from the water so that the settled sand and stones will be left behind.
• Place the clean jute leaves inside a pot of hot boiling water and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or till the jute leaves become tender. At this point stir in the crayfish, Locust bean, salt, and stock cube. 
• My mom will always use the small traditional broom called ijabe to blend the ewedu until it becomes smooth. However, a blender will do this just fine. Just pour the boiled leaves inside your blender and blend till smooth. This will take a few seconds to a minute so be sure to keep an eye on it.
• You can serve with your favorite swallow like Eba, Pounded yam or fufu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw_0pki4kNY&t=328s

Frozen packs

Sometimes, I don’t have access to the fresh leaves where I live. I buy them from the store. If you live in the united states, you can easily get them in the frozen section of middle eastern/Indian stores. Sometimes, I find it blended and sometimes unblended.

All I do is thaw the frozen leaves, if unblended, I blend it first and I add it to a pot, with the crayfish, salt, and locust bean. Leave to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes and voila!

How To Make Egyptian Molokhia Or Mulukhiyah

In Egyptian Cuisine, the jute leaves are prepared by chopping the leaves and cooking them in very rich chicken stock for about 5 minutes or until the Molokhia leaves become smooth and viscous.

Mulukhiyah is often served over white rice with Olive Oil, Onion, Sumac, and lemon juice.

Other delicious soups and stews you might want to try:

• Egusi Soup
• African pepper soup
• Ogbono Soup
• Stewed Okra – Okro soup
• Efo riro - stewed spinach

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