I finally got a recipe on how to prepare the perfect Amala and Ewedu soup. In this article, I’ll be showing you how to create that perfect meal that will make your taste buds go crazy.
When I was younger, I saw women cooking this meal with broomsticks and it gave me a distasteful vibe, but the moment I had that awful meal “oh la la”, my tummy told a different story, it was divine.
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Ewedu
Ewedu as it is commonly known in Nigeria also called Corchorus leaves (Foreign), Ayoyo in Ghana, Krain Krain/Crain Crain in Sierra Leone or Jute leaves in other parts of Africa. It is a green leafy vegetable consumed in the cuisines of various countries. Corchorus is used mainly in the cuisines of southern Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and West Africa. It has a slimy texture, similar to okra when cooked.
Ewedu soup is indigenous to the Yoruba tribe and extremely popular in the Western part of Nigeria. Amala and Ewedu soup will always be one of the most popular Nigerian dishes, not only among the Yoruba people but to the entire West African people at large.
Ewedu soup is locally prepared by mashing it with a small bunch of broomsticks (ijabe) is used to crush the Ewedu leaves to liquid and forms a light slimy texture of the soup. You can also use your blender.
Amala
Amala is a Nigerian food made of dried yam bark or cassava flour/plantain flour. The Yams used to make Ewedu are peeled, cleaned, sliced, dried and pounded/blended into a flour locally called Elubo.
When dried, the colour of yam changes from is white in colour to turn brown when dried. This gives the amala its deep brown colour. Amala is a swallow used to eat/could be served with a variety of soups such as ẹfọ, ilá, ewédú, ogbono or gbegiri.
Amala is the signature swallow for Ewedu soup, this meal is unbelievably tasty. A combination of Ewedu soup and Amala gives a unique taste to this dish. Here is how to prepare the perfect Amala and Ewedu soup.
Ingredients For Amala & Ewedu
Here is a list of ingredients needed to prepare the perfect Amala and Ewedu soup.
- Yam Flour or Dried Yam Peelings
- A handful of Ewedu leaves (Jute leaves/Corchorus)
- Chilli pepper
- Salt
- 2 teaspoon of mixed crayfish
- One teaspoon of Iru (fermented locust beans)
And an already prepared pot of stew.
Cooking Instructions
- To make the Ewedu soup, You have to pick the vegetable from the stalk, wash Ewedu leaves carefully 3-4 times to get rid of sand and dirt then blend the Ewedu leaves till it liquidated.
- Pour the blended Ewedu Leaves in a pot, add salt, pepper, crayfish, iru and other flavours.
- Stir firmly for 2 – 3 Minutes and set aside.
For the Amala
- You simply pound your died Yam Peelings with mortar and pestle or get 2 cups of yam Flour.
- Boil about 2 cups of water.
- Once the water is boiled, pour it in a pot.
- Slowly add the yam flour to the pot and stir firmly with a wooden stick, till it becomes smooth and firm.
- Serve with the Ewedu soup and already prepared stew.
Once you’ve achieved both of them, serve hot with a chilled bottle of Coca-Cola. This is how you prepare the perfect Amala and Ewedu Soup.
Ewedu soup is usually prepared with edible potash (iru) and very few spices are added, you can still prepare Ewedu soup without potash. If you’re making Ewedu soup for babies or pregnant women, simply use a small amount of flavouring.
Nutritional Benefits
Ewedu seeds are used as a flavouring, and Chinese have been known to make herbal tea from the dried leaves. Ewedu leaves are rich in beta carotene, iron, calcium, vitamin E and vitamin C. The plant has an antioxidant activity with a significant α-tocopherol. This meal is also rich in Carbohydrates, protein, low in saturated fats and starch.
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