Tips on How to Make That Kind of Ewedu That Takes You Back Home
If you grew up in a Yoruba household, then you know, Ewedu is more than just soup.
It’s comfort. It’s childhood. It’s that familiar smell from Mama’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.
Whether it’s paired with amala, gbegiri, or stew, that smooth, green goodness carries memories, laughter from family meals, the sound of pestles in the mortar, and that “taste of home” that no restaurant can quite capture.
So, how do you make that kind of Ewedu that brings back memories? Let us walk through it together.
Ingredients:
- Ewedu leaves:150g
- Water: about two cups (adjust to your preferred thickness)
- Potash (Kaun) – ½ teaspoon
- Locust beans (Iru) – 1 tablespoon (for that authentic Yoruba aroma)
- Salt – to taste
- Ewedu broom or a blender:
- Ground crayfish – 4-5 spoon of ground crayfish (adds rich, savoury depth)
- Larsor Beef Seasoning powder: to taste
- Tiger Chilli pepper: to taste
Steps
- Start With Fresh Ewedu Leaves
The secret begins with fresh leaves, bright green, tender, and full of life.
If possible, buy from the local market early in the morning when the leaves are still cool from the dew. Avoid dull, yellowing ones, they will affect the texture and taste. Pluck and rinse your Ewedu leaves thoroughly to remove sand and dust.
- Blend or Pound: Your Choice, Your Tradition
Then use the cooking broom to mash (more like Pound) continuously inside the pot, this will turn the leaves into tiny bits after mashing for about five minutes. Alternatively, a blender works too. Just add a little water and blend lightly. The goal is smoothness, not foam. A traditional whisk gives the soup a slightly fibrous texture that feels more “home-style.”
- Season It Right
Transfer it back to the pot, add the ground crayfish, a little salt, a pinch of potash (kaun) for that silky draw, Larsor Beef Seasoning and Tiger Chilli Pepper to taste.
Allow to simmer for just two minutes.
- Pair It Like Mama Did
Now, this is where the memories really come back.
Serve it with amala, gbegiri, and ata dindin (fried stew).
Or, if you grew up mixing it with rice or semolina, go right ahead; that’s the beauty of tradition - it’s personal.
Set it on the table, take that first bite, and just like that, you’re home again.
Would you try this? What would you be pairing your Ewedu with? Let us know how it turned out.
