Ewedu Soup

Ewedu soup is indigenous to the people of Yoruba, a very popular Nigerian ethnic group.

But then I am guessing you know that already so we are going to delve right into the matter of the day which is totally about making Yoruba ewedu soup.

I have had my share of Yoruba foods after living in Lagos state for over ten years; I know virtually everything that goes into the stomach of a Yoruba person (I am talking foods), 😀 so sit tight, you are at the right place if you are looking to make delicious Yoruba foods.

Married a Yoruba Person?

Are you married or dating a Yoruba person? majority of members of the Nigerian kitchen are ladies that are either dating or married to a Nigerian man, if you are in this group sit tight too!

If you are living outside Nigerian, you might want to start looking up the easy to make Nigerian foods, I doubt you would find all the ingredients for preparing ewedu in your location, except of course you know where to look.

There are simple Nigerian recipes like jollof rice, fried rice, Tomato Stew and White Rice, that is just where to start if you are new to the whole “Nigerian food thingy”. Thank you.

Ewedu Soup

As you can see above, ewedu soup is not usually served alone in a Yoruba setting, but this is of course not etched in stones. You can always experiment wildly on Nigerian foods to find your favorite combination.

Ingredients for making ewedu soup is as follows; this would make a simple pot of soup for about six people. You can increase or decrease the ingredients depending on the number of people you are looking to serve.

Ewedu Soup Ingredients

Ewedu leaves (corchorus olitorius) 200g
1/2 teaspoon of powdered potash
1.5 cups of water
Ewedu Broom or a blender
Salt to taste

1 seasoning cube
Chilly Pepper to taste
4-5 spoons of ground crayfish

One of the qualities of the the ewedu leaf is the ability to draw, perhaps the reason you can not make this soup with any other leaf.
Ewedu Leaves

How to Prepare Ewedu Soup

Step 1

Nicely pick just the leaves (no stem allowed), then go ahead and wash properly with a lot of water to remove any sand left on it.

Step 2

Pour 1.5 cups of water to a cooking pot and heat to boiling point, add the washed ewedu leaves, soak the half teaspoon of potash in half cup of water and filter into the pot (to soften the leaves), cook for 7-10 minutes.

Step 3

Then use the cooking broom to mash (more like pound) continuously inside the pot, this will turn the leaves to tiny bits after mashing for about five minutes.

Alternatively, You can also transfer into a blender and pulse twice, I think this way is easier and better. That was how I made the soup above, couldn’t find the ewedu broom.

Step 4

Transfer back to the pot and add the ground crayfish, maggi, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for just five minutes and you are done with making ewedu soup.

Step 5

Serve ewedu soup plus stew and meat with either amala, eba, semo or pounded yam, the exact way a Yoruba man would love it.

Ewedu Soup in Yoruba

Return to Other Yoruba Foods – Ewedu Soup

52 Comments

Favour
Reply

Sorry, what is powdered potash

August 11, 2020
Gozxy
Reply

Pls is there any special recipe for ewedu stew?
Or can one eat it with the regular stew made with vegetable oil.

July 28, 2020
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Yeah, the regular stew.

July 30, 2020
claire Coulter
Reply

is there any websites that I can buy Nigerian ingredients from? I live in Scotland but im housebound and don’t know of anywhere to get international ingredients. I like to try new things and would love to try foods from all over the world.

December 16, 2019
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

We will re-open our shop in January.

December 16, 2019
Patricia
Reply

Thanks for this simple guide, today, I made my first perfect ewedu soup, the best amongst all previous trials.

October 22, 2019
STELLA
Reply

I MAKE DO WITH BICARBONATE OF SODA INSTEAD OF POTASH.NOW WITH ALL I HAVE READ HERE,MY EWEDU SOUP WILL TURN OUT BETTER.

July 17, 2019
Amos O Aduroja
Reply

Potash is very bad for the lining of the intestine. It eats the lining of the stomach and intestine. It leads to ulcer. If you have studied the prevalence of ulcer in the western part of Nigeria, you will notice a very high prevalence of ulcer in parts of Oyo Alafin. This surge around Oyo Alafin town is due to the fact that they use potash to cook everything including ewedu, beans and other things.
I advise a total ban on the use of potash in cooking. Its accumulation in the intestinal mucosa has grave consequences.
Dr. Aduroja

June 10, 2019
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks, would you recommend any alternative?

June 11, 2019
Peter uge
Reply

Its really nice with amala

March 3, 2019
Ola Richard taiwo
Reply

I am a Yoruba man from ekiti, ewedu go well with amala. And I normally eat rice with it in Lebanon

December 12, 2018
Mary Mercy
Reply

can it be covered while it on the fire

November 7, 2018
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

No point, it could turn dark once it is overcooked. I like my ewedu green. 😀

November 8, 2018
Shalom
Reply

I’m an Igbo girl and I love ewedu soup. Thanks for the guidance. I will prepare mine as well. I love cooking and also like trying new things even if it’s not my tribe soup.

October 20, 2018
Abuz
Reply

I am aware that potash is not too good for the body, can i cook the soup without it

May 18, 2018
Chef Chidi
Reply

The potash softens the leaves but I think you can totally do without it.

May 19, 2018
Lynda
Reply

You can go to any pharmacy, ask for bicarbonate of soda(its in powder form) it’s an alternative for potash

February 8, 2019
Thecla
Reply

Please the stew that is added to the ewedu soup,was it fried with red oil or groundnut oil

January 19, 2018
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Any kind of stew will do, normal vegetable-oil-fried stew.

January 22, 2018
Akpah O.Martin
Reply

Is the potash healthy for consumption?

January 4, 2018
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

We use very little, doctors can tell us more.

January 5, 2018
Dede
Reply

Hello, is it possible for the ewedu to not draw? My ewedu isn’t drawing .Thanks

December 14, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Not drawing at all? Did you overcook it? It doesn’t draw like okro but it should draw.

December 20, 2017
Tpe
Reply

make sure you dont cover the pot while cooking

January 30, 2019
Francis ijeoma
Reply

This is nice oh. With this i will love to prepare my ewedu soup someday with alot of smoke fish in it. You are doing a good job here. God bless the tutor.. For me i love cooking than eating outside

November 15, 2017
Gifty
Reply

Love dis page bcoz I love to cook good foods

September 12, 2017
Blessing
Reply

Please can one find dis ewedu leaf in d east? Owerri, I love the soup soo much, I cnt find it in the market

November 10, 2017
Lilian
Reply

oh yes. it’s in the east. it’s called kerenkere. it’s quite common. you just didn’t know it’s same as ewedu. look closely at the image

November 25, 2017
mama oyibo yellow
Reply

it tastes good

July 7, 2017
Esther
Reply

Can Ewedu soup stay for like 2 or 3 days? not in the fridge just warming it morning and night

January 28, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

it turns dark, even in the fridge. Ewedu should made and eaten the same day.

February 1, 2017
Joy
Reply

Wat abt in d freezer?

March 15, 2017
Chidi Anegbu

freezer is just the same as fridge.

March 19, 2017
Kaveetha
Reply

Hi There,

I’m an Indian and my fiance is a Nigerian, I love him so much that I want to be able to atleast one Nigerian dish when he comes to visit me again. So can tell me a simple Nigerian dish wherein I can make it with the ingredients avaiable in India….. as I went through a lot of receipes and there are some ingredients which I dont think I will get it here. Can you please help…

June 29, 2016
Dami Victor
Reply

Hi, Kaveetha.

Amongst the above listed ingredients needed which is not available in Indian?

October 23, 2016
Olayeye
Reply

This is nice but I think ewedu soup is not complete without ground egusi and locust beans(iru woro)take note.

March 19, 2016
Yetty
Reply

What a delicious soup when u add stock fish;

September 14, 2015
Rebecca
Reply

I do not know how to show appreciation to your contribution on this blog, but to say thank you and abundant God’s blessings.

thanks.

August 24, 2015
Dorcas
Reply

Actually, I just stumbled on this website, and I have loved every minute of my being here. As an original Yoruba wife, whose husband loves ewedu soup, i think i should add a few detail. #1. Warning! – Don’t add any ingredient to the water before it boils except potash. Reason: the leaves will never draw! #2. You might also like to add iru (locust beans) after using the broom. It improves the taste a lot. #3. Some Yoruba People, especially from Ogbomosho like to add egusi (Melon Seeds) to the ewedu after it is done! Interesting isn’t it?

Like a said, I love all your recipes. Thanks. Dorcas.

April 9, 2015
ufa kennie alegbeleye
Reply

good

July 11, 2014
vafeo
Reply

I give u kudos, its a nice try. Bt all yoruba stew or soup is as rich as u are. In d case of ewedu, its neva complete widot ur brown locus bean, fish( whc u mashed wt d broom once d leaf is soft) . Then u add a lil bit of blended crayfish & den ur seasoning & salt to taste.
Its not jst a leaf, seasoning & salt affair. Tks. Try it dis way, u wil love it d more

March 24, 2014
Lizzy
Reply

Yes you are correct. How can you cook ewedu without locust beans

April 28, 2017
yoruba man
Reply

Yes, I am a yoruba man and I like to blend ewedu with other soups like egusi plus stew, it is perfect that way. I also like other yoruba soups like efo riro and gbegiri (beans soup), they are my favorites. But if I am out of my house, a well made jollof rice is my thing.

July 27, 2013
Mr Eno
Reply

Oh my! I really miss all of this delicious Nigerian foods, you don’t get to see a lot of them here in NYC.

July 27, 2013
Mike
Reply

I like to blend with stew and it would be even better if you add cooked fish to the combination, that is – ewedu soup plus cooked fish from tomato stew, that is my best combination and that is how my wife does it. Also you can use turkey instead of the fish… Delicious!!!

July 27, 2013
The Nigerian Kitchen
Reply

I have a question – do you eat this soup as is (that is just ewedu) or you blend it with other soups?

July 27, 2013
yima
Reply

Its eaten as it is. But mostly mixed with stew.

January 5, 2017
Sade
Reply

As for me o, if i want to eat any swallows,I blend it stew and gbegiri if available but if I want to drink ewedu, I don’t add anything.

April 12, 2017
Dr. Ebus
Reply

U dey enjoy ooooo

June 13, 2017
laide
Reply

if u want to drink it. is it cooked same way with eating with swallow

May 20, 2019
Ife

Yes it should me and you may choose to blend it if you’re going to drink it

August 2, 2020
Oluremi Ogundana
Reply

I f you want a bright looking soup, you can add the stew . But if you are only keen about the ewedu improving your haemoglobin level particularly for a convalescent person , the green soup is okay since you have added the Maggie, salt and dry pepper. Remi

October 18, 2017

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