Eru Soup (Spinach/Okazi leaves) is a healthy satisfying Cameroonian green dish loaded with other protein and aromatics that will make your tastebuds sing for joy. Best paired with any of your favorite starchy sides!
Nothing delivers flavor and finger-licking goodness with little fuss and even less time than Eru soup. When I decided to start a cooking blog, the first recipe that crossed my mind was eru. It was at the top of my list of recipes to make for the blog because I have been cooking for a very long time and if there is any dish that I cook really well, it’s Eru. So it would only feel natural to start with it.
I kept putting it off in favor of other new recipes – baking up a storm in the kitchen. After making it this weekend, it reminded me of why I cook it often – my taste buds danced with joy. Wow! I can’t believe I had not made this in two months!
Eru soup is made using the creeping planting Gnetum africanum – an evergreen vine that grows wild in the forests of Central and West Africa.
The leaves go under different aliases; Okazi, Eru, Mfumbwa, and Ukase depending on the region and country. Eru leaves are not readily available in stores; you can only buy them at African and online stores. The soup gets its name from the leaves – eru soup. This meal is very similar to Afang soup.
There have been several reports that say these very popular and nutritious leaves are on the extinct list; unorganized cultivating practices and extremely high demand led to this conclusion. It would be a sad day for millions of people if that happens. Let’s hope not!!
This ever-pleasing meal is very popular in Cameroon and the Bayangis ( a tribe in the southwest province in Cameroon ) love it. Most people are tempted to use an excessive amount of oil while preparing eru. I have made this several times with very little oil and is quite tasty.
If you want healthy eru, cut back on oil and you can eat this meal frequently guilt-free.
Serve this soup with this water fufu (fermented cassava dough) or any fufu flour.
Watch How to Make It
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Eru Soup (Spinach/Okazi leaves)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds meat (beef, tripe, cow skin, smoked turkey)
- 1½ pounds dried fish
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 2-4 cups palm oil (or half corn oil and half palm oil)
- ½ cup ground crayfish
- 5-6 cups dried chopped ukazi
- 2 pounds frozen spinach
- 2 Maggi/bouillon powder
- Salt and pepper
- Scotch bonnet pepper optional
Instructions
- Cut the beef into bite-size chunks, season with salt, Maggi, and onions, and cook until tender. Do the same with cow skin (they are tough, so they take longer to get soft). Use very little water while cooking the meat because eru does not need a lot of water. However, make sure you have at least 2-3 cups of stock from the beef to use in cooking this dish.
- While the meat is cooking, soak the dried okazi (eru) leaves in a bowl of hot water to tenderize the leaves for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and drain.
- Add the assorted meats – beef, cow skin, tripe, and dried fish or turkey to a large stock pot with at least 2 cups of stock. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Drain the thawed spinach and add to the pot of assorted meat and fish. Add crayfish and two tablespoons of bouillon/Maggi. Stir and cook on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the shredded ukazi (eru) leaves and red oil. Stir again thoroughly, making sure all the contents in the pot blend together. Simmer for another 10 minutes; add stock or water if needed. The fragrant aroma lets you know it is time to eat.
- Season to taste with salt and more Maggi as needed. (I usually season my food with salt and Maggie as the dish progresses.)
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Linda says
Is the calorie measurement per 100g?
Imma says
No, this soup is a main dish or one-pot meal. I added 240g to the recipe card. Thanks for pointing out that it was missing.
Agbortoko Arreychuck says
This is my traditional meal! This is awesome, though it doesn’t quite look like the original eru in the end
Karissa says
I tried making this today but my eru didnāt get soft despite cooking for a very long time. Can you please give me some tips for the next time I make it. The flavor is delicious the texture of the eru is the only problem.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Karissa! Next time add about 1/2 a pound more of spinach. This should help you achieve your desired texture. Happy cooking :)!
Karissa says
Thank you for answering, I would like to make this again. If Iām using 1 4oz bag of dried eru do I put 2 lbs of spinach? Itās hard to figure out how many cups the eru is when itās dried.
oben ojong says
Always admired the light and airy freshness you bring to your presentation of african/Afro-Caribbean dishes. However, I would like to emphasize that sometimes cultural sensitivity is necessary. As a proud child of the bayangi tribe, Iād like to say this recipe (at least as far as Cameroon is concerned) is pathognomonic to our tribe. It is associated with a long tribal and ancestral history which should be respected. We do not simple ālove it.ā That being said- I love your blog and will continue to support your work because it is always tastefully and skillfully done. š
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Oben!! Thank you so much for your feedback. I have lots of friends and in-laws from Bayangi, so I know exactly what you mean š !
Olivia says
Good evening from Germany. Thanks so much for publishing your receipe, I just tried it this evening and I am looking forward to the week-end. Though from Cameroon, I grew up outside the country and tried eru in Germany for the first time. It was love at first taste. My hubby and children love it and Iām looking forward to impress my guests. Many thanks and lots of love…
imma africanbites says
Hi, Olivia! Glad I’m able to make you feel at home with my recipes. Hope to visit Germany, one day. š
Sassyqueen says
Wow….! Am so excited, prepared my Eru and Ukazi soup. So beautiful and tasteful. Thank you for uploading it and Happy Women’s Day!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Happy Women’s Day to you too!