Eru

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5 from 1 vote

This is a meal typically made by the Manyu people of Cameroon.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cameroonian

Servings: people

Author: Precious

Ingredients

8 cups dry eru/okazi (packed) or 5 cups of fresh 250g
10 cups chopped waterleaf or spinach or less if using fresh eru 280g
1 1/2 cups crayfish (lightly blended)
1 1/2 cups palm oil (325 ml)
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds (about 1 kg) of a variety of boiled meat with a cup of stock- I used beef, beef skin (canda) and beef tripes
1/2 pound fish (I used stock fish and smoked cat fish)
4 small cubes Maggi
2 scotch bonnet pepper - blended or whole (optional)

Instructions

If you are using dried eru/okazi, soak it in warm water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. I usually add a little baking soda (1/2-11 teaspoon) into the water before soaking so it helps brighten the colour of the eru and softens it. But that is completely optional so you could leave it out.
Put meat and stock into a large pot. Bring to simmer on medium high heat and let it simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the stock is almost completely dried.
Add in spinach and let it cook for 5 minutes. It will wilt greatly and release its juices. Stir the spinach and let it cook again for another 5 minutes or less. Do not let the spinach become brown.
Now rinse the eru thoroughly and add into the spinach. Mix until both vegetables are well incorporated. Pour in the oil and stir well. Let them simmer together for another 5 minutes while you stir from time to time.
Add in the seasoning cubes (Maggi), pepper (if using), crayfish and fish. Give that a good mix. Let it cook together for about 5 more minutes. At this point, taste the seasoning to ensure it is perfect. Your eru should be moist but not watery. If it is too dry, add some water or oil to make it moist. If it is too soft, let it cook some more so the water dries up.
Turn off the heat and serve warm with fufu or garri of choice.

Notes

I do not know if I should refer to Eru as a soup or as a vegetable or what? Please help me here, people. It is not quite a "soup" but it is often eaten with a starchy side like garri or water fufu (similar to akpu). These are both products of the root food, cassava.

Nutrition