How to Cook Eru in the Cameroonian Style

Last Updated: February 3, 2023 References

Eru is an African wild vegetable. Eru is the common name used for two very similar vines of the species Gnetum africanum and Gnetum buchholzianum. Eru leaves are eaten raw, or shredded and added to soups, stews, porridges, and fish and meat dishes. Both species of eru are highly nutritious and an important source of protein, essential amino acids, and minerals. It can be cooked with meats and flavorings to serve as a meal. This article explains how to cook the eru in the Cameroonian style.

Ingredients

Sliced eru
Palm oil
Sliced water leaf or spinach (fresh and very mature leafs)
Small shrimps or cray fish
Shrimps or crevette (the big ones)
Cod fish or stock fish
Pepper (ground)
Maggi crevette or bouillon cubes
Salt
Smoked cow skin (contains collagen)
Smoked kidney meat
Spring onion
Chilli pepper (optional)

Steps

1
Boil the smoked kidney meat and cow skin with a bit of salt, maggi bouillon, spring onion and pepper. You can also boil cod fish if it is too strong. Boil with a bit of water, about 3 cups, depending on the quantity of meat. Make sure it's ready and soft.^{[1]
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2
Wash the eru. Put it in a colander to drain, then wash the sliced water leaf or spinach also, and drain.^{[2]
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3
Add the water leaf or spinach. When the kidney meat and cow skin are ready, together with the cod fish, add the water leaf or spinach and leave for a few minutes.^{[3]
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4
Stir the water leaf or spinach and make sure it looks cooked. Then add the eru while stirring. Be aware that this process is very delicate because you need to make sure you don't put in more eru than the water leaf or spinach can take.^{[4]
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5
Pour in the palm oil and add the cod fish if you didn't do so at the beginning. Leave for a while to cook. Beware: don't cover the pot. Make sure to remove all the bones in the fish before putting it in the pot.^{[5]
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6
Add the pepper, cray fish (ground to a dusty powder), shrimps, maggi bouillon and salt. You could add the chilli pepper but this is optional. In just a few minutes, your eru is ready.^{[6]
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7
Serve. It can be served with pounded fufu, water fufu, garri, in short anything fufu made from cassava. Enjoy!

Community Q&A

Question

Should I drain the meat stock before putting in the water leaf?

Community Answer

Add the water leaf inside the meat.
Question

Is garlic part of the required ingredients?

Community Answer

It is not required, but you are welcome to add it if you would like to incorporate it.
Question

Is garlic part of the ingredients?

Community Answer

No, but you may add it.

Warnings

Do not squeeze the spinach or water leaf when washing because it is slimy. Just put it in water, rinse, then leave to drain. Do not cover the pot, so that the vegetable remains green.

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