Ewedu soup facts for kids
Ewedu soup is a special kind of soup that comes from the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria. It's a bit like Okra soup because it has a unique, slightly sticky or "drawy" texture. This soup is made from the leaves of the jute plant, which is why it's also known as jute leaf soup. Ewedu soup is often served with delicious Nigerian beef stew or fish stew. It's quite quick to make, usually taking about 12 minutes. People love to eat Ewedu soup with popular Nigerian "swallow" foods like pounded yam, fufu, and Amala.
To make this soup, you first pick fresh jute leaves and wash them well. Then, you blend them until they are smooth. After blending, you add ingredients like crayfish, locust bean (also called iru), and salt to give it a great flavor. It's important not to add too much water so the soup isn't too thin. While some traditional methods use a special broom called ijabe and a substance called kaun (potash) to prepare the leaves, using a blender makes it much easier and faster today!
How to Make Ewedu Soup
Making Ewedu soup is fun and simple! Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Fresh jute leaves
- Water
- Locust bean (iru)
- Crayfish
- Salt
- Bouillon powder (a seasoning cube)
First, carefully pick the fresh jute leaves from their stems. Then, rinse them very well with water. You need to make sure there's no sand or dirt left on the leaves. You can do this by gently scooping the leaves out of the water, leaving any sand at the bottom. Some people like to boil the Ewedu leaves for a short time until they are soft; this can make them easier to blend.
Traditionally, people used a special broom called Ijabe to pound the Ewedu leaves until they were smooth and slimy. But using a blender is much faster and gives you a very smooth, slimy result! Just put the washed jute leaves into your blender. Add a little bit of water – be careful not to add too much, or your soup will be too watery. Blend the leaves until they are completely smooth.
What to Eat with Ewedu Soup
Ewedu soup is usually eaten with "swallow" foods. These are soft, dough-like foods that you can roll into a ball and swallow with the soup. The best foods to enjoy with Ewedu soup are fufu, Amala, and pounded yam. These combinations make a complete and delicious Nigerian meal!
Gallery
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Green Jute seed
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Amala with special soup combination
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Amala ati Ewedu and Ogunfe
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