Ewedu

Common name for Corchorus olitorius, whose leaves serve as a pot-herb in west Africa and eaten as a spinach substitute elsewhere. It is likewise called moroheiya, Jew’s mallow, Egyptian mallow or bush okra. The leaves are nutritious and turn mucilaginous when cooked. The mucilage — polysaccharides released on cooking — gives ewedu soup its characteristic slippery texture, eaten with starchy staples across Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt. The leaves are rich in beta-carotene, iron, calcium and vitamins C and E; blanching before cooking preserves colour and nutrients, and the plant grows readily in hot climates.