How to cook ewedu elegusi, a popular Yoruba dish
It is mostly prepared by the “ilu-oke” people, a section of Yorubas.
Ewedu elegusi (Jute + melon seed) is traditionally served with gbegiri or palm oil stew. The combination is perfect with Amala. It is a popular dish on every menu you’ll find in Bukas in the western part of Nigeria.
Cooking time
10 minutes
Recipe category
Main dish
Recipe cuisine
Local
Cooking method
Boiling
Ingredients
6 Packed cups picked ewedu leaves
1 cup water
1 tablespoon blended egusi
1 tablespoon locust beans (iru)
Salt – to taste
Instructions
- Mix the egusi with 2 tablespoons of water and set it aside.
- Pour a cup of water into a medium pot and set it on high heat till it comes to a boil.
- Pour in the ewedu leaves with the heat reduced to medium and cook it uncovered for about 5 minutes till the leaves get soft.
- Use the traditional ewedu broom popularly known as “ijabe” to pound the ewedu till they are all crushed into tiny pieces. Another alternative is to use a blender.
- Add locust beans, salt and the egusi paste into the blended ewedu. Stir the mixture when the egusi starts to curdle.
- Stir in more warm water to achieve a desired thickness.
Serve with stew and gbegiri with Amala to go with it!