The Ultimate Guide To Cooking Ewedu With A Blender

Ewedu, also known as jute leaves, is a popular Nigerian soup. It is a delicious and nutritious delicacy that is very simple to make. In this article, we will be discussing how to cook ewedu with a blender. The blender method is a quick and easy way to make ewedu, and you don't need potash. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to cook ewedu with a blender.

Preparing the blender

First, you will need to buy ewedu leaves from the market. Pick the leaves from the stalk, making sure to only use the leaves and not the stems. Rinse the leaves thoroughly to ensure they are free from dirt and sand. You can do this by swirling them around in a large bowl of water and then gently using your hand to scoop the leaves out, repeating this process until no more sand settles at the bottom of the bowl.

Next, place the clean ewedu leaves into your blender. You will need to add a small amount of water to aid the blending process. Blend the leaves until they are coarse or pureed, depending on your preferred texture. Be careful not to over-blend, and avoid adding too much water as this will hinder the ewedu from drawing.

Once blended, your ewedu is ready to be poured into a pot and cooked.

Cooking the soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups of Ewedu (jute) leaves
• 2 tablespoons of locust beans (iru)
• 1 tablespoon of ground crayfish (optional)
• 1 seasoning cube (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method

• Remove the ewedu leaves from the stalk.
• Rinse the leaves with water to get rid of any dirt.
• Put the leaves in a blender and add a little water.
• Blend on a low speed for 2 minutes. Check if the mixture is well blended. If not, blend again for 1 minute. Be careful not to over-blend.
• Pour the blended ewedu into a pot and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Add your locust beans, crayfish, seasoning cube (if using) and salt to taste. You can add just the seasoning cube, just crayfish, or both—it's up to your preference.
• Stir the soup occasionally with a wooden or plastic spoon.
• Take the soup off the heat after 2 minutes. Do not overcook! The soup will continue to cook in residual heat for a couple of minutes.
• Allow to cool and serve.

Adding seasoning

After blending the ewedu leaves, the next step is to pour the blended mixture into a pot. At this stage, you can add your choice of seasoning.

You can add locust beans (iru), crayfish, and a seasoning cube (bouillon powder) to taste. You can also add ground Egusi seeds (blended melon seeds) for a thicker consistency.

If you didn't blend your locust beans with the ewedu leaves, you can add them at this stage. You can also add crayfish and a seasoning cube to taste.

For a more traditional approach, you can use a small broom called Ijabe to blend the ewedu until it becomes smooth. This is a more time-consuming method but gives an authentic texture to the dish.

Once you have added your seasoning of choice, stir the mixture well and cook for about 2-5 minutes. It is important not to overcook the ewedu, as this can affect its viscosity and flavour.

Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning to your preference. You can then serve the ewedu with Amala or any other swallow of your choice.

How long to cook

The cooking time for ewedu soup is generally short—most recipes recommend cooking the blended ewedu for around 2-5 minutes.

One recipe recommends cooking the blended ewedu for 2 minutes, then taking it off the heat and allowing it to cool. The soup will continue to cook with its retained heat for a couple of minutes.

Another recipe recommends cooking the blended ewedu for 3 minutes, then adding salt and seasoning. You can also add blended crayfish or blended melon seeds (egusi), but these should not be added while blending. After adding these ingredients, stir the soup occasionally with a wooden or plastic spoon.

A third recipe recommends cooking the blended ewedu for about 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and viscous. It is important not to overcook the ewedu, as this will result in a non-viscous soup with an unpleasant taste.

Serving suggestions

Ewedu is a traditional Nigerian soup that can be served in many ways. It is commonly served with a swallow of choice, such as Amala, Semolina, Eba, Pounded Yam, or Fufu. It can also be served with soups such as beef stew, chicken stew, fish stew, or buka stew.

If you are serving Ewedu with Amala, you can also serve it with Gbegiri for an Abula experience. Gbegiri is a bean-based stew that is often served with Ewedu in the Western part of Nigeria.

For a more filling meal, serve Ewedu with solid meals like pounded yam and fufu. It can also be served with rice, either cooked fresh and served over white rice, or prepared in the Egyptian style, where the jute leaves are cooked in chicken stock and served over white rice with olive oil, onion, sumac, and lemon juice.

Ewedu is a versatile dish that can be adapted to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.

Frequently asked questions