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Cameroonian Eru (Leafy Greens Stew with Beef and Crayfish)

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Cameroonian eru with leafy greens, beef, crayfish, red palm oil, and soft garri.
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Eru is a Cameroonian leafy-greens stew enriched with beef, crayfish, and red palm oil, traditionally served with a soft starchy side.

Cook the beef until tender, soften the greens without turning them to purée, then fold in the crayfish and palm oil so the stew stays rich but balanced.

Add the palm oil near the end and keep the heat moderate; this preserves its aroma and prevents the greens from drying out.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the eru hot with soft garri or another plain starchy side for scooping up the greens and broth.

Cameroonian eru leafy greens stew being lifted from a pot beside soft garri.

Recipe Notes

Eru thickens as it cools. Reheat it gently with a splash of water and keep the garri separate until serving.

Cameroonian eru with leafy greens, beef, crayfish, red palm oil, and soft garri.

Cameroonian Eru

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A rich Cameroonian leafy-greens stew with beef, crayfish, red palm oil, and garri.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cameroonian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Eru stew
  • 1.5 lb frozen chopped waterleaf or spinach thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 lb beef stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
  • 0.5 cup dried crayfish rinsed and ground
  • 0.333 cup red palm oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet chili seeded and minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp fine salt or to taste
Garri side
  • 2 cups garri
  • 2 cups boiling water plus more as needed

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Chef’s knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • Serving bowl

Method
 

Cook the beef:
  1. Place the beef, onion, garlic, chili, water, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 55 minutes until the beef is tender.
  2. Stir in the ground crayfish and simmer for 5 minutes so the broth becomes savory and fragrant.
Finish the greens:
  1. Add the squeezed greens to the pot and stir gently. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until hot and tender but still visibly leafy.
  2. Pour in the palm oil and simmer for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the salt.
Prepare the garri and serve:
  1. Place the garri in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling water gradually, stirring until a smooth, soft mound forms; add a little more water if needed.
  2. Spoon the hot eru into bowls and serve with the warm garri.

Nutrition

Calories: 650kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 31gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 880mgFiber: 8gSugar: 4g

Notes

  • Squeeze excess water from thawed greens so the stew does not become watery.
  • Dried crayfish is salty; taste before adding more salt.

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