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Ewho Soup

Also known as Ewho Soup (Urhobo Herb Soup)

Ewho Soup is a traditional Urhobo soup made from the ewho leaf — a bitter, aromatic herb specific to the Delta region. Similar in cultural function to the Yoruba's bitter leaf or the Igbo's utazi, the ewho leaf is a medicinal-culinary plant that is prepared and used as the starring vegetable in this Urhobo soup.

Ewho Soup, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 big handfuls of fresh ewho leaves (or bitter leaf as substitute), washed and squeezed
  • 1 big fresh catfish, cleaned and cut
  • 1 big handful of smoked catfish, soaked and deboned
  • 1 big handful of stockfish, soaked
  • 1 big handful of periwinkles (isam)
  • 3 cooking spoons of red palm oil
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 3 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 2 pieces of oburunbebe stick
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Preparing the Ewho Leaf. Wash the ewho leaves in 3 to 4 changes of water, squeezing vigorously each time to reduce bitterness. The leaf should remain pleasantly bitter. Set aside.

  2. 02

    Building the Soup Base. Heat palm oil in a wide pot. Add oburunbebe sticks and fry for 1 minute. Add sliced onion and blended Atarodo. Fry for 8 minutes. Add stockfish, smoked catfish, periwinkles, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes and salt. Add 3 glasses of water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

  3. 03

    Adding the Fresh Fish. Add the fresh catfish pieces. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat until the fish is cooked through.

  4. 04

    Adding the Ewho Leaves. Add the prepared ewho (or bitter leaf) to the soup. Stir through. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove oburunbebe sticks. Taste and adjust all seasonings. Serve hot.

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