Akpu is a staple swallow in Nigeria, mostly eaten by the Igbos.

Akpu is made from cassava. Akpu making has been a consistent source of income, especially for locals in the rural areas.

Ingredients

• 4-6 cassava tubers
• Water

Directions

Peel the cassava tubers

Cut the tubers into small pieces, wash and put the cassava pieces into a large bowl or container

Pour in enough water to completely cover the cassava pieces

Cover the bowl or container and let the cassava pieces ferment for a period of 3-5 days.

To check this, press the pieces with your finger; they should have a soft, mushy feel. If a good number of the cassava pieces are soft and mushy then all is set

Bring out the fermented cassava pieces, wash and squeeze them into a filter placed inside a clean bowl of water (this is to remove the un-fermented debris and chaff from the paste of fermented pieces)

Because of the the unpleasant odour especially at that early stage most people pour the water lying above the residue and add fresh water. They then let it settle and pour it out again before adding fresh water.

Pour the extract into a cheese cloth; the open end of the cheese cloth should be firmly secured with a rope and a heavy object placed on it to further drain excess water.

Pour what is left in the cloth after water has been drained into a bowl and mix it with water to form a paste.

Boil and stir part of this into starch.

Pour this into the bowl containing the remaining paste and mix it in.

Wrap the mixture in nylon and cook it in a pot.

Untie the nylon and pound the mixture in a clean mortar until it is smooth and rubbery.

Your akpu is ready for consumption!

This article How To Make Cassava Fufu (Akpu) appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

As the number of people given to flour-restricted diets is on the rise, flour gotten from cassava is fast becoming the preferred alternative. Here are three reasons why cassava flour could make the top list in every home.

Cassava Flour is Gluten, Grain-Free

Similar to yam, plantain and potato, the cassava plant is a tuber, high in starchy carbohydrate. Hence, it is gluten-, grain- and nut-free.

Cassava Flour is not Poisonous

Except eaten raw due to the naturally occurring cyanide compounds, cassava is not poisonous. The soaking, cooking and fermenting of the root dissolve the toxic compounds, making it safe for consumption.

Cassava Flour is most similar to wheat

Unlike other gluten-free flour such as those gotten from almonds, cassava flour is not grainy or gritty in texture. It rather it is mild, smooth and powdery and can be mixed evenly with wheat flour.

Feature image: finedininglovers.com/blog

This article 3 Things You Did Not Know About Cassava Flour appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

I love cooking, especially when I’m having friends over. I can go beyond myself making the perfect meal for them. But as much as I would want to engross myself in that much work creating the perfect meal, I don’t like spending too much time in the kitchen and I know a lot of people don’t too.

So here are five things I found that has helped me spend less time in the kitchen on different meals.

How to peel ginger

Ginger root is one food ingredient that saps a lot of time when you need to make do with it. Because of the bumps and corners on it, it can be really tricky to peel. However, an effective way to peel ginger in a short time is by using a spoon to scrape its skin right off.

How to peel garlic

This is quite easy. Heat the garlic bulbs in a microwave on high for 20 seconds. The skins will slide straight out after this.

Keep a small strainer for citrus

Keep a small handy strainer close when you’ll need to use a citrus for cooking. You save time by squeezing the juice out directly into the pot without having to bother about the seeds.

Keep a waste bin within arm’s length

Having a waste bin within arm’s length can save you a whole lot of time while cooking. You simply clean off the surface of your work table directly into the bin and get on with other things.

DIY muffin cases

Even the very best of chefs miss a thing or two when cooking. Now here’s what to do when you forget cake cases- get some baking paper and a glass. Place the paper into an empty tray cup, then place the bottom of your glass inside. Twist it to mould the paper into place, then repeat with the other tray cups. Pour your batter inside, and bake as normal.

This article 5 Cooking Hacks You Should Know appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Have you ever thought about what South Asian meals taste like? I sure have and for a very long time, I wondered what a well prepared Asian cuisine would taste like. I finally stumbled on this new place in Kaduna State- Shifu Restaurant. Their tasty meals left my taste buds craving for more.

Review

Shift Restaurant and Lounge is a 5-star mixed oriental restaurant located in the heart of Kaduna town. Shifu prides itself as a family oriented classic restaurant that redefines the taste of the orient, with a wide spread menu that cuts across cuisines of South Asia from Schezuan to Sushi, Pad Thai and Yaki Udon.

Shifu is the first of its kind in Kaduna, located on the rooftop of the ASD CITY MALL with a magnificent view of the town and the most amazing night time lights. The crop of young professionals with different skill sets and combined experiences from several areas of hospitality makes this restaurant very lovable.

Date Nights at Shifu

Looking for a very romantic place to be with your partner? Or perhaps a place to visit with family and friends? Then I suggest you pay Shifu a visit. Shifu’s lovely rooftop space is probably the most romantic scenery for your date or party nights. It is also a classic environment for meetings and luncheons. Shifu has an executive classic private lounge with a British finish that also overlooks the beautiful streets of Kaduna and operates side by side with the restaurant. So be rest assured, your deals will get faster closing times while your clients enjoy a great time at Shifu.

Feature image: Facebook.com/chen-emmanuel

This article Restaurants to Visit- Shifu Restaurant appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

The genger tree is found mostly in Tiv land. It blooms from late November to early April, after which it is said that the genger loses its rich taste as soon as the rains set in.

The flower buds are picked and the petals are detached, while the shell goes through a rigorous process of drying that make take up to a week or more until it turns brown. The dried buds are then pounded into a powder which is used to make the Genger Soup.

Ingredients

• Yiye (black pepper)
• Nune (locust beans)
• Gbaaye
• Mtsem (potassium/baking soda)
• Nyam Shu. (fish)
• Kyoho
• Affishi (mackerel fish)
• Baar (salt)
• Mkem (fresh pepper)
• Seasoning cubes
• Mkulen ma Nyian. (palm oil)
• Genger

Note: Blend your Nune, Gbaaye, mkem, kyoho, and yiye into a paste.

Procedure

• Pour water in a pot.
• Put 3 to 4 table spoonful of the grounded Genger powder.
• Next, add potassium (mtsem) and stir in the pot until its completely dissolved.
• Then add mkulen ma nyian.
• Leave it for about 25 minutes on low heat.
• Combine your blended Nune, Gbaaye, mkem, kyoho, and yiye paste with baar, seasoning cubes and fish and then boil for about 15-20 minutes. After this, add it to the genger and allow to boil for about 5 – 7 minutes.
• Genger Soup is ready!

The soup is preferably served with pounded yam.

Source: Tiv-People

This article Genger Soup Recipe appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

The rorowo soup is a delicacy of the Ekiti people. The main ingredient is the rorowo leaf which has a unique scent that gives the soup a good taste. The soup can be cooked with just pepper and onion and still make for a tasty meal.

Ingredients

• Rorowo leaves (6-10 cups)
• Smoked fish
• Beef (shaki, kpomo, chicken etc.)
• Snails
• Stockfish
• Iru
• Egusi
• Crayfish
• Fresh atarodo (scotch bonnet peppers)
• Palm oil (2 cooking spoons)
• 1 large onion
• Stock cubes
• Salt to taste

Cooking Directions

• Begin by properly deboning and washing your smoked fish.
• Blend the crayfish, atarodo peppers and chop the onion.
• Thinly slice the rorowo leaves and set aside.
• Wash your beef, snails and stock fish, then boil them together with the chopped onion, smoked fish and stock cubes in a pot over medium heat. Let it cook till it’s soft and tender.
• In a clean bowl combine the egusi and a cup of water to form a thick paste.
• In another clean pot, add about 2 cooking spoons of palm oil and let it heat for a minute or two, then carefully drop in tiny balls of egusi into the pot. This should be done in a quick succession to avoid the egusi balls burning.
• Once you’ve finished putting the balls, stir with a cooking spoon or ladle so the egusi doesn’t stick to the pot. Stir till egusi is well fried, then pour in your stock, add the iru, crayfish and salt to taste.
• Allow everything to boil for a couple of minutes, then add the thinly sliced rorowo leaves, let it simmer a little so the vegetables don’t overcook and lose its nutrients, crunch and green colour.
• Finally turn off the heat and serve with swallow of choice. Enjoy

Feature image: mariellasmenu.com.ng

This article Rorowo Recipe (Èfó Wòròwó) appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Want to spend less time in the kitchen and still have the perfect meal? Then keep scrolling. Let’s walk through 5 simple but not so common cooking tips that can help you save time for other things in the kitchen.

Get your recipe right

The first thing you can do for yourself when trying out a new meal is to properly soak in the recipe to the letter. Be sure to have all your facts right before you embark on that meal for the first time.

Be ready to make mistakes too, after all that’s how we perfect a skill. You should even try to create a recipes.

Always keep a sharp knife

The worst feeling I’ve felt in the kitchen is trying to cut with a dull knife. It’s quite disheartening and also very time consuming to work with and you may even cut yourself because you’re pressing harder. So here’s what I do, I make sure to sharpen my knife every 3-months so I never have to deal with this issue while coking.

Remember to spritz to avoid making a mess

When dealing with sticky ingredients like cheese, you have to take extra precaution so you don’t end up making a mess that’ll take you a whole lot of time to clean up. Before using a cheese grater, spritz it with nonstick spray to make shredding and cleaning a lot easier.

Cook all that fish/chicken

Having to whip out fresh fish or chicken to cook each time you want to make a meal can be very stressful. So why not cook it all at once, use the amount you need for your meal and freeze the rest for later? This can cut your cooking time by half, trust me.

Read other people’s feedback

This may sound a little bit tricky, but if you want to be a better cook you must learn to read feedbacks from others on things they’ve tried out and what has worked for them. You don’t know everything and the best way to cut back on mistakes is by reading other people’s experiences.

This article 5 Cooking Tips for Spending Less Time in the Kitchen appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Looking to spice up your dates, hangouts or meetings Japanese style? Here are three Japanese restaurants to meet your needs in Lagos.

Shiro Restaurant

Their menu consists of Japanese food, Asian food, contemporary, vegetarian-friendly, and gluten-free meals.

The entire structure of the restaurant is top notch, with very impressive interior decoration. The restaurant has a decent view of the ocean and also offers WiFi services.

Meals served at the Shiro restaurant are tasty and also pricey. Their prawn suyamaki roll is simply delicious. They also serve the best Asian style wagyu steak which goes up for ₦26,000. Their cocktails and mocktails likewise exceptional.

Izangi Restaurant

Izangi Restaurant. ofadaa.com

The Izangi Restaurant is located at 19b, Idejo Street (off Adeola Odeku Street), Victoria Island.

Izangi offers a fine dining experience with the best meals and thus has been dubbed to be the best Japanese restaurant in Lagos. The name refers to a Japanese deity. The interior of this restaurant sets off a welcoming appeal, and the seats are arranged in Japanese style, it even includes a room where customers can seat on the floor to eat. The restaurant really emphasizes its Japanese culture, giving its customers a feel of what proper Japanese dining is.

The menu offers a variety of Japanese and Asian dishes. All their meals are meticulously prepared from the shrimp dumplings to the teppanyaki and of course sushi, they make the very best sushi.

Bungalow Restaurant

Located at 9 Adekunle Fajuyi Way, Ikeja, since its establishment in 2016, Bungalow Restaurant has become a hub for seafood. They have a wide range of seafood from sushi to bunyaki, ensaladas and other tongue-twisting names.

There are also weekly shows and events to spice up your dining experience like the notable live band every Thursday. The restaurant also runs a normal fast food menu meaning you can always drop by in the morning to have a meal.

The Bungalow is a lively place especially in the evening, a good option for an entertaining date and hangouts with friends.

Feature image: tripadvisor.com

This article Three Japanese Restaurants to Visit in Lagos appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

The beniseed soup is made out of sesame seeds. The seeds are properly washed to remove sand and grit, then sun-dried before use. It’s a very common soup in the south-south region of Nigeria and is very similar to egusi soup in taste and preparation although it contains more oil.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of sesame seeds
• A kilo of beef
• 1 medium-sized stockfish
• Kpomo
• 2 tablespoons of crayfish
• 1 large bulb of onion
• Seasoning cubes
• 2 cooking spoons of red oil
• 1 medium sized smoked fish
• 4 pieces of scotch bonnet
• 4 pieces of red bell pepper
• 1 small piece of okpei
• A handful of bitter leaf/ uziza/scent leaves
• Salt to taste

Cooking directions

• Wash, season and cook your meats and fish till they’re soft and tender, then drain from and set aside the stock.
• Stir fry your sesame seeds in a pot for 1-2 minutes, then blend into a powder.
• Wash and blend the scotch bonnet and red bell pepper together.
• In a pot, pour in the red oil, onion, pepper mix and sesame seeds powder and stir-fry for a couple of minutes or till it’s well fried.
• Pour in your broth, okpei, crayfish and seasoning to the mixture and allow it cook for 10 minutes.
• Finally, add the cooked meats, fish, uziza/ bitter leaf/ scent leaves and salt. Allow the soup simmer for extra five minutes before turning off the heat.

The beniseed soup can be served with eba, fufu or any swallow of choice.

Featured image: afrolems.com

This article Beniseed Soup Recipe appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Are you looking for a place that offers delicious homemade meals that suit your taste in proportion to your budget?

Variety, they say, is the spice of life, but what is variety without class, satisfaction and value?

Jevinik Restaurant is the place specially designed to give you that satisfaction in an environment comfortably fitted with the state of the art décor, warm hospitality and service extraordinaire.

The culinary expertise is second to none with their menu ranging from African, Chinese and Continental dishes. It offers a wide range of Nigerian delicacies ranging from assorted local soups like egusi soup, fisherman soup, afang soup, abak soup,  okro soup, eforiro, bitterleaf soup, vegetable soup, white soup, native soup, mama’s delight, ekpang nkukwo, asun, Isi-Ewu, catfish, abacha. They also have delicious meals like jollof rice, fried rice, coconut rice, salad, white rice, fries and lots more.

Jevinik restaurant is a home away from home with several branches nationwide: Lagos (Victoria Island and Ikeja), Abuja (Garki II and Wuse II), Port Harcourt, Aba and Owerri.

Derive the utmost utility for every naira in Jevinik Restaurant.

This article Restaurants To Visit: Jevinik Restaurant appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Black soup (esan) is one of the mouth-watering native delicacies indigenous to the Edo people in Edo state, Southern Nigeria.

It is also called Edo Esan Soup and sometimes referred to as Omoebe. It derives its name from the dark colour it gets from the ground vegetable leaves. Traditionally, a stone is used to smoothly grind the vegetables. You can achieve the same result using a blender or food processor.

Black Soup. knorr.ng

Delicious

The properties of the various blend of medicinal leaves – bitterleaf, uziza and Efinrin (can be substituted with scent leaves) – and the rich palm fruit sauce make it healthy and aids in cleansing the system. It is also believed to help in blood production.

The assortment of bush meat, goat meat, offals like liver, heart and kidney, shaki, kanda (cow skin), cow leg, roasted fish, stockfish, smoked fish, smoked red prawns with which it is prepared gives every ball of eba or fufu a super story.

The soup is traditionally served in a black earthenware pot which gives it a local appeal. It is really delicious with a heart-warming aroma.

This article Black Soup: Edo’s Pride appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

I have two favorite recipes: Fudge Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Why? Because they’re easy and fast to make. I usually have the ingredients already in the house, and I’m a lover of anything chocolate.

This article will be about Fudge Brownies because they’re cheaper to make.

In the original recipe, it calls for unsalted butter but seeing as that is really expensive in Nigeria, I substituted margarine for it and omitted the salt because margarine has enough salt on its own.

Fudge Brownies. Chineyere Raychelle Otiocha

Ingredients

Unsalted Butter or Margarine – 1 cup (250g)

Vegetable Oil – 2 TBSP

Sugar – 2¼ cup

Eggs – 4

Vanilla – 4 tsp

Flour – 1 cup

Cocoa Powder – 1 cup

Salt (if using unsalted butter) – ½ tsp

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Pour margarine and oil into a bowl and place the bowl over a bigger pot of boiling water. Turn the margarine and oil together until margarine is melted. Take the bowl off the heat.
2. Pour sugar into the margarine mixture and whisk until well incorporated.
3. Pour in the eggs and vanilla one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding in the next. Whisk thoroughly for 1-2 minutes.
4. With a spatula, fold in dry indredients until batter is smooth and thick.
5. Pour batter into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan, dusted with cocoa powder. Tap the pan against counter surface to smoothen out batter and remove bubbles in batter.
6. Place in oven on middle rack and bake for 25-35 minutes
7. Let it cool and enjoy!

Hope you like love it as much as I do!

To see more of my yummy baked goods, follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

This article Food Loving: Cheech’s Favourite Recipes appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

The powerful combo of basmati rice, ripe plantain, meat and vegetables makes Jambalaya rice a wholesome meal! Trust me, this dish of Spanish, French and Louisiana origin is worth every spoon. Importantly, it is not only a delight but also has very high nutritional value.

sisiyemmie.com

Basmati rice has 20 percent more fiber as compared to any other rice, contains vitamins and minerals, and is lower in saturated fats. It is diabetes-diet friendly,  promotes heart health and good for dieting. It is also a great source of energy.

For the lovers of plantain, you can enjoy your rice with the tasteful crunch of the fried plantain, while the vegetables supply the necessary vitamins for the body.

How to make Jambalaya rice

Ingredients

Basmatic rice

Ripe plantain

Boneless chicken (skinless)

Sausage (optional)

Bell pepper

Onion

Celery

Seasoning cubes

Tomato paste

Fresh pepper

Green pepper

Carrot

Vegetable oil

Salt

Preparation

1. Cut the ripe plantain into bits, add a little salt and fry.
2. Cut the boneless chicken and sausage into bits, spice with celery pepper, onions and seasoning. Fry and keep aside.
3. Cut the bell pepper and carrot into small sizes.
4. Make your fresh tomato sauce by frying in hot oil with onions and little salt. Allow to dry up the water.
5. Boil the basmati rice until it is done. Sieve and set aside.
6. Using a low heat, pour the tomato sauce into a frying pan and spread it out.
7. Add your basmati rice and mix thoroughly.
8. Add your green pepper, bell pepper, chopped carrot, seasoning and stir.
9. Add the chicken and plantain and mix properly.
10. Enjoy!

This article How To Make Jambalaya Rice appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

ItMonkey kola, sometimes called African bush apple, is a yummy, juicy fruit with amazing nutritional health benefits. It exists in three varieties; red, white and yellow (predominant in local markets).

It is a nutritious indigenous tropical fruit species native to the people of Southern Nigeria. It is called Achicha or Ochiricha in Igbo, and Ndiyah in Ibibio and Efik. It has an obliquely ovoid inedible seeds with two flattened surfaces, which are rough and reddish brown or green; a rough outer covering and a waxy mesocarp which forms the edible portion of the fruit.

Kitchenbutterfly.com

Nutritional Value

Monkey kola has high fibre content, protein, vitamins B and C, mineral elements (the most abundant being calcium, potassium and β-carotene), amino acids, (essential and non-essential ) and antioxidants  with low calorie and 0.00g fats. The yellow monkey kola has more nutritional and medicinal value than the red and white monkey kola.

Health Benefits

1. Beta-carotene and lutein contained in monkey kola maintain healthy skin and mucus membrane. They prevents cataracts, aids vision, protects from cellular damage and age related macular degeneration.
2. Money kola aids digestion  and hence prevents constipation and boosts the immune system.
3. It contains soluble fibre which contributes to the health of gastrointestinal tract and weight management.
4. Riboflavin which is also known as vitamin B2  present in the fruit helps to metabolize fat and proteins in the body system.
5. It helps to lower the risk of heart diseases and improves cholesterol level due to the presence of niacin (vitamin B3), known as nicotinic acid and flavonoids.
6. Its essential mineral elements help in protein synthesis, healthy bones, proper functioning of the cells, organs, tissues, and overall body functions and development.
7. The low caloric effect makes it a better fruit for a weight loss diet.

Sources: Finelib, Research Gate, Doktorsea, Licia Glowing Health

This article The Origin Of Nigerian Food: Monkey Kola appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Last month, Nigerian Startup –Coating+ clinched top prize at the Thought for Food Global Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was $10,000 worth of funding for their food preservation idea: lacing fruits and vegetables with a gelatinous substance partly derived from shrimp shells and soy proteins.

The team of four, all postgraduate students of Biochemistry at the University of Ilorin, was awarded because their idea dealt with a real problem in a smart, sustainable way. Preserving food using substance from a cast-off material is efficient and commonsensical. But perhaps its appeal lies, ironically, in the enormity of the challenge it could help tackle.

Consider this. Nigeria has a big food waste problem. One government allied research institution has estimated that the country loses more than $9 billion worth of farm produce to post harvest waste. That’s a huge amount for a developing country to be doing without. This problem is particularly pronounced with fruits and vegetables; over 50% of these products perish before they’re bought. For decades, farmers have had to cope with the destabilizing effect these loses have wrought on their finances.

But it gets even worse. While there’s a lot of food ending up in garbage heaps, a large fraction of the population suffers perpetual hunger. The National Bureau of Statistics’ fifth Multi Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS5) indicates that Nigeria struggles with very high malnutrition rates. That report suggests that 31% of children are underweight, and 43% of children are stunted- both evidence of widespread nutritional deficiency. The contrast between piles of wasted tomatoes and severely emaciated children is worthy of more than just an outcry.

Thankfully, there are startups emerging on the scene with their sights set on tackling this reality. Coating+ fits into this mould. Although it’s still in its formative stage, it holds great promise for the future. It just has to get through to the build up process. The $10,000 prize it’s scooped through the Thought For Food (TFF) Challenge should go a long way in making this happen.

Albert Kure heads the team of young biochemists- including Basheer Balogun, Lukman Abdulwahab, Nsikak Nsima and Suleiman Alakanbe -who’re working on the Coating+ idea. He describes himself as “a wildly eccentric visionary” and says he’s keenly interested in solving nutritional deficiency problems caused by poverty. The team’s solution apparently does require a touch of wild eccentricity to birth. Most new generation food preservation technologies target the European and North American markets. Africa, according to Kure, “hasn’t been on the radar at all.”

The Coating+ product is a transparent gel made from Chitosan, a sugar extracted from the shells of crustaceans (such as shrimps), and soy protein. Laboratory trials have shown that it’s able to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables on which it’s sprayed by up to three times longer.

The Coating+ team say their winnings from the TTF Challenge will go into helping them complete their registration with NAFDAC, and scaling the venture to commercial status.

A lot turns on the success of ideas such as this. Farmers in these parts will be greatly helped by a solution that preserves their produce for much longer. Kure points out that its the farmers who have had to bear much of the cost of wastage. His team’s business model, which gets the Coating+ product directly to farmers, should compensate for this by bypassing retailers and the extra costs they bring.

Feature image: techawk.com.ng

This article Startup Coating+ Has a Novel Idea for Solving Nigeria’s Food Waste Problem appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Baobab is a multi-purpose tree found in the savannas of Africa, locally known as Kuka in Hausa and Ose in Yoruba.

Baobab is commonly used in making miyan kuka soup in Northern Nigeria.

Baobab

Every part of the tree – the leaves, fruit pulp, leaves, bark, roots and seeds – is used as food, and in traditional African Medicine, for treating a wide variety of ailments. Though not widespread, oil extracted by pounding the seeds can be used for cooking.

Traditionally, the young leaves are eaten raw or used as vegetable and can be dried up and crushed into fine or coarse baobab powder and then added to soups or stews as a thickener or flavouring agent. Likewise, the seeds are eaten fresh, dry, roasted and eaten as snacks or ground and used as a thickening agent in soups. They can be fermented and used as a flavoring agent.

The fruit pulp can be dissolved in water or milk and used as a drink, a sauce for food, as a fermenting agent in brewing, or in baking, similar to cream of tartar.

Baobab powder and other products can be incorporated into smoothies, salads, fruit juices, cereals, granola bars, yogurts and dairy products.

Nutritional Benefits

It is rich in vitamin C, potassium, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, lipids and phosphorus as well as other nutrients such as alpha and beta-carotene.

Baobab Seed Oils are important sources of nutritional oils, industrial and pharmaceutical importance. They contain antioxidant Vitamins A, D & E as well as Omega 3, 6 & 9 essential fatty acids and are a soothing, rejuvenating skin care serum.

Health Benefits

The health benefits of baobab include improving digestive health, supporting the immune system, general hydration and skin health. It is believed to have antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-oxidant, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties and useful in treating or preventing anemia and asthma.

Traditionally, baobab leaves, bark, and seeds have been used to treat malaria, fever, microbial infections, cough, anemia, toothache, wound healing, and constipation.

The most common medicinal use of the Fruit Pulp is to treat diarrhea. It also has a pain relieving effect comparable to aspirin.

Sources:  Pandavita, Medical News Today, Baobab.Baobab, and Science Direct.

This article The Origin Of Nigerian Food – Baobab appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Don’t get used to the norm when you can explore from a wide range of exotic cuisines and make every meal special. Spring roll sauce is healthy and nutritious. The combination of the vegetables with amazing health benefits makes it necessary to be incorporated into your weekly menu.

Ingredients

Cabbage

Carrots

Spring onion

Onion

Soy sauce

Chicken

Curry

Vegetable oil

Seasoning cube

vegrecipesofindia.com

How To Prepare

1. Wash and cut your cabbage, carrot, onion and spring onion.
2. Boil water in a pot and add your cabbage, carrot and onion and spring onion.
3. Allow to boil for 1 minute or simply soak for few minutes. This helps to remove any germ.
4. Pour into a sieve and allow the water to drain off.
5. Chop your chicken into your desired size and season.
6. Heat your vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken.
7. Add the cabbage, carrot, onion and spring onion and stir fry.
8. Add the curry and soy sauce and continue to stir fry for 5 minutes.
9. Add 1 seasoning cube and fry for a minute.
10. Your spring roll sauce is ready.

Serve with rice or yam.

This article Food Recipe: Spring Roll Sauce appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

For many Nigerians, the quintessential celebratory event doesn’t attain its possible tasty heights without a decent helping of small chops. And if it’s a wedding, birthday or anniversary, we would expect a proper fair sized cake to grace our sights and enliven our taste buds. When these things aren’t available, we might be just a little disappointed. Ann Ebere Odunze wants to create an upbeat buzz around baked food at events with Ebiann Cakes n Events.

Her cakes and pastries company runs with a mission to create “finger licking memories” for attendees at parties and other ceremonial gatherings- whether that’s a large event or a small get-together.

Odunze says Ebiann Cakes n Events represents a combination of her passion for finely baked edibles and her entrepreneurial tendencies. She has a formal degree in Business Administration, but it was her desire to create her own business niche by filling bellies that ultimately led her to start up her company.

“I’ve always been someone who liked to be independent, doing my own thing, making my own decisions, and facing whatever comes from them, good or bad,” Odunze explained in an interview with ConnectNigeria. “Ebiann Cakes n Events was birthed because I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.”

Mouthwatering Cakes on Virtual Shelves

The bakes on offer from Ebiann include the key items- cakes and cupcakes (which she says are “moist and mouthwatering”) and small chops (including samosa, spring rolls, puff puff and peppered meat). Available products also include snacks such as meat pies, doughnuts, scotch eggs and chin chin.

There’s an attractive display of Ebiann’s cakes and pastries on its Instagram page, a platform which serves as the business’s online store front and showcase. You’ll find pictures of products in stock at various times, showing off a broad body of baked edibles from chin chin to chocolate cakes. And if you’re interested in ordering these, you’ll find the business’s contact details on the page as well.

While Ebiann Cakes n Events is primarily a baking and small chops company, it also helps its clients plan events. They’re open to suggesting event ideas for customers who consult with them.

Ebiann Cakes n Events takes orders and delivers its products to customers upon request. Customers also have the option of picking up their orders.

Doing Business on Instagram

Odunze says doing business on Instagram has been a lengthy learning experience for her. She’s frank about the challenges that come with growing a brand on social media; but she’s also optimistic that her efforts on the platform will let her enterprise into greater things, going forward.

“I joined Instagram not knowing how it actually worked- creating visibility, understanding algorithms, and all that,” she admits. “But I’m learning everyday and hoping that very soon I’ll be able to make huge sales from Instagram and other social media.”

You can find Ebiann Cakes n Events on Instagram here.

Feature Image: instagram.com/ebiann_cakes_events

This article Instagram Business of the Month: Ebiann Cakes n Events appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

‘Usu’ (Pleurotus tuber-regium) is an edible underground tuber of the edible mushroom which grows on dead trees or wood. It is found in the Eastern part of Nigeria and commonly known as “Usu” or “Ero-Usu.” It is called “Katala” in Hausa, “Umoho” in Igede, and “Awu” in Igala.

Usu

Usu is used as a soup thickener and also milled with melon seed (egusi) to make egusi balls – “Akpuruakpu Mgbam” (an exotic delicacy of the Ngwa tribe in Abia state).

Usu has a dark brown colour on the outside which is peeled to reveal a white colour. It is hard and usually soaked in water before grinding.

dooneyskitchen.com

Nutritional Value

Usu is highly nutritious. It is rich in protein (which accounts for about 64% of the total mass), carbohydrates, fibers, Minerals – calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium. It is moderately rich in alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins.

Health Benefits

Usu is healthy. It protects the heart and liver from harmful toxins and chemicals and boosts the immune system.

It has anti-diabetic properties. It regulates blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol level in the blood. It is an antioxidant and fights the harmful effects of free radicals causing chronic and degenerative diseases.

It has anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogenic properties which help to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms.

It has anti-mutagenic action that protects the body cells from tumors and cancers.

Sources: Health Bubbles,

• Ikewuchi, C.C., Ikewuchi, J. C. (2009).  Chemical profile of Pleurotus tuber-regium (Fr) Sing’s Sclerotia, Pacific Journal of Science and Technology, 10(1):295-299

This article Origin Of Nigerian Food: Usu appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Have you tried curry okra ogbono soup? It’s a knockout; mouth-watering and nutritious!

Ingredients

• Okro
• Ogbono (african mango seed)
• Curry leaf
• Cowtail
• Dryfish
• Stockfish
• Scent leaf
• Utazi leaf
• Ground uziza seed
• Uziza leaf
• Okpeyi (local spice)
• Ground crayfish
• Pepper
• Periwinkle (optional)
• Seasoning cube
• Palm oil
• Onion
• Salt

How To Prepare

1. Shred or slightly blend your scent leaves and utazi leaves together. Wash off the first water and set aside.
2. Cut or blend the okra fingers and set aside.
3. Wash your periwinkle properly and boil in a different pot.
4. Season and boil the stock i.e, Cowtail, dryfish, and stockfish with onions, salt, seasoning cube and pepper for taste. If you want the soup thick, use little water while boiling your stock.
5. Heat your pot a little and add palm oil. Fry the ogbono with onions, curry, okpeyi, and ground uziza seed. Add crayfish and stir. Then add the stock and periwinkle and allow to simmer for some minutes.
6. Add your okra and allow to boil for few minutes.
7. Add your washed utazi and scent leaves. You can add uziza leaves for flavour.
8. Cover and allow to simmer. Serve with your favourite swallow.

This article Food Recipe: Curry Okra Ogbono Soup appeared first on Connect Nigeria.