UEkuru and stew are also known as ofuloju and ata dindin, it is commonly eaten among the Yorubas in Nigeria and it’s like a sister to moi moi and eko (steamed beans with pap).
Some say Ekuru is originated from the Kwara state some argued that it’s from Ondo state, all my concern is the Ekuru and how much I love eating it… lol. Ekuru is eaten with hands(you will crumble the Ekuru and mix the sauce, some people sprinkle salt over it and mix but the salt part is optional)
I was under the weather a few days ago and all I wanted was spicy food and didn’t want soup (pepper soup) and that was how I quickly whipped up Ekuru and stew.
Traditionally, Ekuru is prepared with peeled bean, I have a process of peeling the beans faster on the blog How to Peel Beans with a Blender you might want to check it out. Ekuru mixture needs air to be incorporated into it to make it light and fluffy and to do that blended beans is mixed in a mortar and pestle and steamed in banana leaves. I used a mixer to do the mixing.
The stew is commonly prepared with ponmo (cowskin), meat/beef, locust beans (iru) dried fish or shrimps, you don’t have to use all the listed ingredients if you don’t have them or like them, the stone grinder was used in grinding the pepper.
It’s modern-day, appliances have taken over, you can use any pieces of appliances for the process I used a hand mixer and mini chopper to blend, you can use a food processor or a blender but I’m making small portion hence the mini chopper. Use any protein of your choice.
You might want to try;
How to Peel Beans with a Blender
Moimoi Rollup (Baked Beans Pudding Roulade)
Nigerian Beans Porridge (Slow cooker recipe)
- 1 Pound Black Eyed Pea or brown beans
- 1/2 Cup Dried pepper
- 1 Onion (sliced)
- 1/2 Red bell pepper
- 2 Big Habanero/Rodo
- 1 Teaspoon Ground crayfish
- 1.5 Cup Dried fish, dried crayfish
- 1/4 Cup Cooking Oil (Palm or vegetable oil)
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For Ekuru: soak the peeled beans in water overnight or for at least 1 hour (for easy blending)
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Blend the soaked beans with little or no water until smooth.
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Pour the blended beans into a bowl and mix to incorporate air (use a hand whisker or electric hand mixer) as you will do when mixing cake. When mixing you will notice the changes in the mixture.
If the mixture is too thick add water (I used 1 cup in total), you don't want the mixture too thick or too watery.
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Continue to mix, you will notice the beans doubles or increase in size, this takes about 8 minutes with a hand mixer.
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Place a saucepan or pot over high heat and pour some water in it, enough to cover just the base of the ramekins.
When done with the mixing, pour the batter into a leaf and wrap. If you're using ramekins like me (as I can't access leaf where I live) grease ramekins with vegetable oil or folded foil and pour in the batter, make sure you don't fill to the brim.
Do not add anything to the mixture, Ekuru is prepared like that, no season whatsoever should be added.
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If you're using leaves, place some (not too many) of the sticks(cut off from the bottom of the leaves) inside the water on the heat and place the wrapped beans batter inside the hot water (watch your fingers). If you're using ramekins or foil pocket just place it in the water, repeat the process until you exhaust the beans batter. Cover and steam.
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Testing: insert a toothpick inside the ekuru and if it comes out clean the ekuru is ready. If you're using leaves, the leaves would have changed in color, take one out to check if it's done. Ekuru is ready!
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Ekuru served with eko (pap)
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Enjoy!
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Soak the dried fish and shrimps in hot water with salt for about 10-15 minutes, clean, rinse and set aside.
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Soak the dried pepper in hot water and let it softens.
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Roughly blend (with little or no water) the soaked pepper with onion, habanero, and red bell pepper. I used mini chopper that doesn't require water.
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Place a saucepan or pot over a medium-high heat and add palm oil or vegetable oil (whichever one you're using).
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Add sliced onions and the ground crayfish and fry until it releases fragrant. If you're using Iru (rinse with water) add it now (i didn't use it) and continue to fry the process takes about 4 minutes.
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Add blended pepper and fry until the content reduces, add the dried fish and shrimps (or any protein you're using). Stir and add seasoning cube and salt, continue to stir so it doesn't burn, the process takes about 6-7 minutes because there was no water in the pepper, if you have some liquid in the blended pepper mixture you might want to drain it (it can be used in another cooking) or you just fry until it reduces.
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Crank down the heat and let the stew fry for more few more minutes readjust the seasoning if necessary.
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Ekuru stew is ready, enjoy!
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Serve the Ekuru with stew.
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Excellent
Can I add salt to the Ekuru?
No
Dear Aliyah,
Could you please not refer to moyinmoyin as moimoi. At the very least, we should call it moimoin. Better still, let us please keep the correct Yoruba name, to educate others. Thank you. Re the Ekuru recipe., the meal looks scrumptious. Definitely worth trying our hands at this dish that seems to have fallen into disfavour. I wonder how many young people had actually heard of it. Keep up the good work!
Hello Damola,
Your correction is well noted!
Thank you for your kind words and thanks for stopping by.
Lovely, Will try it out.
I await your feedback.
Thank you for stopping by.
Thanks,what makes it to out in cake form( l mean ‘ko run’)l surprise it is d mixing pattern.
I once heard of kaun,any need.
Some ekuru use to be dark in colour. how come?
Hello,
You need to incorporate a lot of air into it.
Also, ekuru alaro is the one that needs kaun, kaun gives the dark color.
Please incorporate air in a circular motion on your next trial.
I hope this helps!
I prepared ekuru on saturday and it turned out like white moinmoin thinking that i remembered how to go about it. I haven’t done it for over 20 years but just tried.it. The mistake I made, I added salt with beans and I didn’t mix enough for the air to penetrate
Thank you for this reminder.
You’re welcome!
I’m glad the blog helps.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for the teaching. Please, I discovered that some people add onion to the peeled beans and blend it together. While some don’t add onion to the peeled beans. Which of the two is better? Thanks.
Hello Akin,
That’s true but I tend to lean towards no onion in the beans
However, both are great just depend on your preference.
Thank you for stopping by.
So sweet and delicious to eat
Thank you, Temitope.
Thanks for that lovely tutorial. I will try and prepare it for my husband and my children.
Thank you for stopping by.
I pray I get this recipe well now..
It is easy…Just make sure you incorporate air into the beans batter very well.
Goodluck!
I LOVE IT SO I WOULD PREPARE IT FOR MY MUM AND SIBLINGS
I LOVE IT SO I WOULD PREPARE IT FOR MY MUM AND SIBLINGS
Please do! They would enjoy it.
Thanks for stopping by.