My Akwa-Ibom friend, Rose introduced me to this soup. I told her I was coming to spend the day with her and she made this soup for lunch. When she placed a tray of Eba and Fisherman’s Soup before me, I was like, “Wow! You made Native Soup!!”

“No,” she replied “this is Fisherman’s Soup not Native Soup.”

“She don come again,” I muttered “which one is Fisherman’s soup, bikonu?”

On hearing my muttered complain, Aunty gave me a full lecture on the origin of this soup and its nutritive value. I won’t bore you with all the information she bombarded me with, not that I can remember all oh! But I sha ate the soup and it was delicious. A well-prepared pot of Fisherman’s Soup is fully loaded. You will happily whine your mouth with all manner of seafood from the start of your meal to the end.

Fisherman’s soup can be thickened with garri or pounded yam. Today, I bring you Rosemary’s recipe for Fisherman’s Soup. 

Ingredients

Fresh catfish

Fresh crabs

Smoked fish

Stockfish

Shrimps

Clams

Periwinkles

Yam

Crayfish

Pepper

Fresh Ugu leaves

Fresh Nchanwu (Scent) leaves

Onions

Palm oil

Salt and stock cubes to taste

Okro

Preparation

Cut the yam into small cubes and rinse. Put the yams in a pot and boil on medium heat. When it is tender, pound and set aside for later use. Clean the cat fish and remove the intestine. Rinse in cold water. Afterwards, pour boiling water into the bowl of fish and cover it for a few minutes. The hot water will get rid of the slimy exterior and harden the fish. Prepare the other sea foods and set aside.

The next step is blending the blendables, if you’ll excuse the term. Rose usually pounds the pepper, crayfish and onions because she wants to achieve a rough blend of the ingredients. On the other hand, I’m a member of the smooth blend club. I don’t like seeing crayfish, onions or pepper in my food so I blend everything smoothly. Guess this freedom of expression is one of the reasons why cooking is considered an art.

Back to our discussion, rinse and slice the ugu and scent leaves. Put stockfish in a clean pot and steam till it’s almost tender. Add the blended ingredients into the pot. Add water, enough to cook the soup as well as stock cubes and salt. Add palm oil and the pounded yam to the pot. Allow to cook for about fifteen minutes. Add the catfish, crabs, shrimps and clams. Cook for about seven minutes. Gently stir the soup (you don’t want to scatter the catfish in the process) before tasting. If you’re satisfied with the taste, stir in the scent leaves, smoked fish and the periwinkles. After about two minutes, stir in the ugu leaves and turn off the heat. The steam would cook the ugu leaves.

You can enjoy Fisherman’s Soup with any swallow of your choice.

Featured image source: Television Africa Network

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The Igbos are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. One distinct characteristic of this people is their enterprising nature. The typical Igbo man is a hustler. Igba mbo which literally translates to hard work is not just an ideology, it is a way of life for Ndi Igbo. Interestingly, reward for hard work is also an intricate aspect of their culture. This principle finds expression in the Igbo saying, onye ruo, o rie meaning that he who works, eats. The Igbo hold these principles close to their hearts; as such, they work hard and they play hard. When it comes to enjoyment, Igbo people no dey carry last. Once they sign out at work, they sign in to the bars and beer parlours where they basically chop their money on drinks and peppered meat of their choice. One of such peppered meat is Nkwobi.

Nkwobi has its origin in Igboland. I consider it an evening meal because it’s usually enjoyed at the end of the day’s work when you want to relax and whine mouth with something scrumptious. Nkwobi is basically a delicious meal of cow meat (especially leg, tail) prepared in spicy palm oil sauce and garnished with utazi or nchanwu (scent leaves). Nkwobi was initially a speciality in most bars and local restaurants in Igboland. Over time, this delicacy gained so much popularity that people from different parts of the country adopted it. Most lovers of this meal know nothing about its origin. Can’t say I blame them sha. Most people are uninterested in food history. They simply eat what is placed in front of them.

Nkwobi is traditionally served in okwa which is a mini mortar or wooden plate. This gives the meal a traditional appearance. Even though Nkwobi can be enjoyed with any chilled drink of choice, fresh raffia palm wine remains the original and best accompaniment to this mouthwatering delicacy. It is a rich and tasty meal. As your food doctor, I recommend this meal for you and your loved ones’ enjoyment this weekend.

References

The Niche
Nigerian Food TV

Featured image source: Foodnify

This article Origin of Nigerian Foods: Nkwobi appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Samosas are one of those delicious delicacies we love to have at Owambe parties. In fact, they are usually the first thing to finish in the Nigerian small chop family. Thankfully, we can actually make Samosas from the comfort of your own home without having to wait for the next Owambe partyarrive.

Bukie of the Kitchen Muse has just the right recipe for that. In this video, she gives you all the detail including how to make the fillings and how to make the wrap.

Bukie is a Nigerian Food Blogger, Food Consultant, and Recipe Developer. Her informative videos on Youtube always have the recipe for various mouth-watering delicacies.

Watch the video below:

Featured image source: BBC Good Food

This article Video Of The Week: Samosa Recipe appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Amongst the Yoruba, food is a vital aspect of their culture.  It is a symbol of hospitality and social status. It is believed to nourish and bind families together. Food consumption is both a basic necessity and a learned behaviour of comportment. Early in childhood, tastes are acquired from shared collective values about what is good and suitable to eat. Thus, from Gbegiri and Amala to Ijebu garri and even Ofada rice, food is to the Yoruba, a constant reminder of who they are and where they come from.

Just like Abakiliki and Anambra rice grown in parts of South-Eastern Nigeria, Ofada rice is the type of local rice grown in most parts of South-Western Nigeria. This rice derives its name from Ofada, a small community located in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State where it was first cultivated. Ofada rice is believed to have been introduced by veterans returning from the First World War. The time of the first cultivation of this rice is believed to be 1940.

Ofada rice is upland rice grown on free-draining soils where the water table is permanently below the roots of the rice plant. It is short, unrefined and burgundy striped. This rice is cultivated without chemicals. After harvesting, it is left to soak in water for five to seven days, before it is parboiled, sun-dried and sold or stored in airtight container for family use. The fact that this rice is unrefined makes it nutritionally superior to white rice. It allegedly has about twice the fibre content of white rice. This makes it a perfect meal for the health conscious. But one annoying inconvenience in cooking Ofada rice is, as it is with other types of local rice, the presence of stones. Destoning the rice requires painstaking attention. Anything less will result in an unpalatable meal of rice interspersed with stones.

Ofada rice is mostly consumed as parboiled white rice. This food emits a unique aroma but it is not the most attractive meal on the buffet. The perfect sauce for this rice is Ayamase sauce. This food is traditionally served in a plate lined with uma leaves.

References

O. O. Adekoyeni, S. A. Fagbemi and A. R. Ismaila, “Ofada Rice Identity, Physical Qualities and Processing Technology Options for Upgrading: A Review,” Annual Research and Review in Biology, 23 (2), 2018.

Emma Thrussell, “A Recipe for Identity: Food and Culture in Oaxaca, Mexico,” A Thesis Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Discipline of Anthropology, University of Adelaide, 2015.

Lagos Mums

Dobby’s Signature

Information Nigeria

Featured image source: Nigerian Foods

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Isi ewu is an Igbo delicacy that looks like nkwobi. Both are different. Well, except for the principal ingredient (cow leg in nkwobi, goat head in isi ewu), the ingredients and method of preparation of both meals are the same. They are both served in a small wooden mortar called okwa.

Isi ewu is a comfort food usually served in bars and local restaurants in Nigeria. Before we start discussing the recipe, bear in mind that goat head is usually tough so you can spend hours cooking it. The best medicine for it is the pressure pot. It will save you time and gas.

Ingredients

1 Goat Head

Red Palm Oil

Ehuru seeds (calabash nutmeg)

Ngor or edible potash

Stock cubes

Ugba/ukpaka

Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium)

Onions

Pepper and salt (to taste)

How to Cook

Cut the goat head into small sizes. Make sure that the essential parts like the ears and tongue are cut wholly. These are called the particulars. They are usually served in a separate dish with the Isi Ewu. Die-hard isi ewu lovers will demand it, so make sure the particulars are intact.

Goat head is usually messy so you have to take time to clean it properly. Wash it with an iron sponge. Don’t forget to clean the tongue too. Please note that the goat brain is not thrown away.  It is wrapped in aluminium foil like moi moi and cooked alongside the meat. Afterwards, it is used to thicken the sauce 

When you’re done cleaning the meat, put it and the foil-wrapped goat brain in a pot. Add chopped onion, seasoning cubes and salt to taste. Cook with a small quantity of water until it is tender. The meat stock in the pot should be little when you turn off the heat. This is to ensure that the seasoning gets into the skull. 

Dissolve the ngor in a little water and sieve out the particles. Edible potash can be substituted with ngor. Edible potash, however, has side effects the commonest of which is stomach upset. I prefer to use ngor because I sometimes react to edible potash.

Pound or blend the crayfish, pepper and calabash nutmeg. Calabash nutmeg is what gives this food its authentic local flavour. Please also note that the calabash nutmeg cannot be substituted with regular nutmeg.

Next, rinse the ukpaka in lukewarm water, strain and set aside. Rinse and slice the utazi leaves. Cut the onions into rings for garnishing. Set these aside for later use.

Take out the brain and mash until it becomes a smooth paste. Pour palm oil into a clean pot. Add the filtered ngor liquid into the oil and stir with a wooden spatula until the mixture thickens. Add the mashed brain, the blended ingredients, stock cube(s) and salt. Mix these thoroughly.

Next, add the ugba and the meat. Stir thoroughly to ensure that the meat and ugba are well incorporated into the palm oil mixture. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.

Place the pot on the fire and allow the mixture to simmer for about five minutes. Stir from time to time to ensure that it does not burn. Then, turn off the heat. Your isi ewu is ready.

Serve in a small wooden mortar called okwa. Garnish with the onion rings and utazi leaves. Isi Ewu can be best enjoyed with Palm wine or any chilled drink.

References

Info Guide Nigeria

Guardian Life

Featured image source: The Guardian Nigeria

This article Recipe for Isi Ewu appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Nigeria has a vast food industry that’s worth billions of dollars. It’s a large system of interconnected players: market kiosks and shopping malls, agro-processing facilities and restaurants. And there are the final consumers driving growth in the sector: over 200 million persons consuming food products across the country every day.

But behind the menus at fast food outlets and the scents of freshly made pastries at bakeries, there’s a network of suppliers supporting the countless culinary processes that go on at these places. Thanks to them, quick service restaurants can run properly equipped kitchens, and hotels are able to maintain professional culinary services.

Perhaps the most well known of these food equipment brands is JustFood, a brand founded in Nigeria and having centres in several West African countries. For almost three decades, they have served institutions in the fast food, hospitality and general commercial spaces, and enabled numerous businesses to become more efficient with their cooking and baking processes.

JustFood was set up in 1989 by Peter Mason. It began as a distributor for a few international equipment producers. Early on, it worked to expand its potential market by encouraging more people to get involved in the production and sale of ice-cream. Another strategy it adopted was to offer servicing and training for clients to improve their experience with using the products purchased from it.

The administrators at JustFood certainly like to harp on its extra client-focused offerings. They’re among its unique selling points. More than just a company marketing food making machinery, it also operates with a strong emphasis on customer care and after-sales services.

JustFood distributes such products as ovens, multi-functional cooking systems, single and multi-flavour soft serve freezers, batch dessert freezers, beverage blenders, cube ice machines, cream cabinets, and many others. The machines on offer can be deployed for steaming, roasting, baking, poaching, stewing, as well as refrigeration.

Besides providing equipment, JustFood also supplies ingredients and consumables: ice cream mixes, flavours and toppings, all of which are sold on from international brands. The company itself makes ice cream cones as well, at its factory located in Otta, Ogun State.

StarService, which is JustFood’s after-sales brand, provides free replacement for spare parts within its warranty period, 20% discount on spare parts purchased beyond this warranty, machine upgrades, and training for staff of businesses using products bought from JustFood.

Over the years, the JustFood brand has expanded to serve a sizable section of Nigeria’s food industry. Since its establishment, the company has racked up an impressive list of clients. Today, that list includes Nicon Hilton, Oriental and Protea hotels, KFC, Tastee Fried Chicken, Sweet Sensation, Tantalizers, and Nestle.

As for geographical reach, JustFood has centres in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Benin City, and Port Harcourt. Outside of Nigeria, it has set up in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.

Featured image source: JustFood

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In Nigeria, hardly would you meet someone that holds a grudge against Rice. While it might not be their favourite food, it definitely is one of the most accepted food on the menu list. Rice is a friend of the masses; it is in almost every ceremony and consumed in almost every home at least, once a week. Staggering claims! But this might not be so staggering if one considers that firstly, Nigeria has a very high consumerist culture. Secondly, Rice is the most widely consumed staple food in the country and thirdly, it is 3rd highest global food production, after sugarcane and maize. The 2012 FAOSTAT data attests to the above stated facts.

These claims are further backed up by the statistics that show that, Nigeria is the highest importer of rice globally and the largest producer in West Africa; with a potential of even being the largest exporter in the world. But do you know the 5 largest rice producing states in Nigeria?

An Agricultural Performance Survey (APS) was undertaken in 2017. The research was carried out by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liason Services (NAERLS), of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, in conjunction with the Agricultural Development Projects (ADP’s) and the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension. According to the findings of the research, the leading rice producing state in Nigeria is; Niger state, which produced about 550 thousand metric tonnes of rice in 229 thousand hectares. Second is Kogi state, with 513 thousand metric tonnes from 235 thousand hectares and thirdly, Benue state, with 487 thousand metric tonnes from about 278 thousand hectares. Others are Kano state, which produced about 419 thousand metric tonnes, Kebbi state with a production of about 411 thousand metric tonnes, Nassarawa state that produced another 411 thousand metric tonnes, Kwara state with 408 thousand metric tonnes and the Federal Capital Territory with another 408 thousand metric tonnes production. By implication, statistics and figures show that Kano, Kebbi, Nassarawa, Kwara and the FCT occupy the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eight positions, for major rice producing states. Other states that cultivate or produce rice in significant quantities in Nigeria include; Ebonyi state, Ekiti State, Kaduna State, Enugu state, Ogun state, Taraba, Zamfara, Sokoto, Bauchi, Cross-river and Borno states.

Nigeria is rated to have a rice production capacity of 60million metric tonnes; enough to cater for the Nigerian market and the surplus for export. At times, attribution of the major rice producing states is given to Kebbi, Jigawa and Ebonyi. However, this attribution is usually based on potentialities as against actual productivity, current and prevailing statistics. Therefore, based on concrete, recorded and very recent statistics, the first five major rice producing states in Nigeria are Niger, Kogi, Benue, Kano and Kebbi states. It is also important to note that many states, such as Ebonyi and Jigawa are putting structures on ground, such as processing plants and mills, as well as marking out massive acres of lands etc. in order to enable them reach astronomical proportions of productions

References

Nigeria Infopedia

Finelib

Wikipedia

Featured image source: Nigerian Television Authority

This article Do you Know- The Major Rice Producing States in Nigeria appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Food is a universal experience, a vital aspect of our cultural heritage that ought to be preserved, not in museums as we do other artworks but through oral tradition and practical experimentation. Northern Nigeria is a region with beautiful landscapes, ancient architectural designs and a fertile soil that produces all manner of food. Nigeria’s food history would not be complete if Northern Nigeria is not referenced, for they are the food basket of the nation.

The Hausa-Fulani are predominantly farmers and cattle rearers. Most Northern foods are derived from grains (rice, millet, maize, sorghum) and vegetables. Some of these grains are grounded into flour to prepare swallow popularly known as tuwo. They also have an abundance of meat especially beef which can be grilled to make beef delicacies like kilishi and suya.

On our food history segment today is tuwo masara. This food is a corn flour swallow that is indigenous to the Hausa-Fulani people. When preparing the tuwo masara flour, the testa of the grains is removed in some communities before grinding the maize. Testa removal is done by grinding gently inside mortar with pestle. Small water is added to the grains to enhance testa removal. The grains are then sun-dried. Afterwards, the dried grains are ground with a local grinding stone or with a grinding machine to obtain a smooth, dry, finely ground whitish flour. That flour is the tuwo masara.

Tuwo Masara is another way of eating corn. It is a great substitute for eba, a nutritious and appetizing accompaniment to different soups like miyan wake, miyan ridi, and ogbono or egusi soups.  Tuwo masara is easy to prepare. Anyone who can prepare semo, wheat or poundo can prepare it.

Tuwo Masara reminds me of nni oka, a corn flour swallow that was quite popular in some parts of Igboland about fifteen years ago. Nni oka was (is) a suitable accompaniment to ogbono and okro soups, both of which are draw soups. However, the difference between tuwo masara and nni oka is that while tuwo masara is strictly prepared with corn flour, nni oka is usually mixed with cassava to make it stretchy.

References

A.A. Abdulrahman and O.M. Kolawole, Traditional Preparations and Uses of Maize in Nigeria

9ja Foodie

Dobby’s Signature

All African Dishes

Featured image source: Nigerian Food TV

This article Origin of Nigerian Foods: Tuwo Masara appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

In 2016 and 2017, the price of fresh tomato skyrocketed by 400% within three months; Tuta absoluta destroyed the annual harvest. Tomato farms across Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Plateau states were affected. Overnight, fresh tomatoes became nwata nwoke, an Igbo expression that means a scarce commodity.

However, scarcity of fresh tomatoes did not stop Nigerians from cooking stew. White rice and stew is a traditional Sunday delicacy in most homes; not even tomato scarcity was allowed to mess with this sacred tradition. So, the good people of Nigeria improvised. While some made stew from processed tomatoes, others turned to Yoruba pepper stew popularly known as Obe Ata Din Din or Buka Stew. In fact, pepper stew became so popular at that time that food presenters on radio and television starting dishing out the pepper stew recipe. Today, I bring you the recipe for pepper stew.

Ingredients

Meat (beef, shaki, kpomo)

Eggs (optional)

Palm oil

Red bell peppers (tatashe)

Shombo

Habanero peppers

Onions

Locust bean

Seasoning cubes

Curry powder

Dried thyme

Salt to taste

How to cook

Rinse, spice and cook meat till tender. Set aside for later use. Eggs are optional in pepper stew. If you want to add them, then boil the eggs (they should be hard boiled), peel the shell and set aside. Peel the onions, then rinse together with tatashe, shombo and habanero pepper. Deseed the tatashe; chop some onions then put the rest in the blender. Add the other rinsed ingredients to a blender and blend with as little water as possible.  However, if you end up with a watery mixture, you can either use the flour sieve to drain out excess water or you add the blended paste to a pot and boil to remove excess liquid. Blend the crayfish as well.

Afterwards, place a pot on low heat, pour the palm oil into it and cover it. Covering the pot while bleaching helps to contain the smoke. Let the palm oil bleach for about fifteen minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the oil cool for about five minutes before removing the lid. Put the pot of oil back on fire, add the cooked meat and fry until dry. Scoop them out and set aside. Add the chopped onions and locust bean into the hot oil, sauté for a minute then add the blended pepper mix. Stir and combine, then fry until the mixture loses its sour taste, or until you begin to see the oil rise to the top.

Add the meat stock, crayfish, stock cube and salt. Cover the pot and allow the content to come to a boil. Stir the stew and taste for seasoning. If the taste is satisfactory, turn down the heat and add the fried meat. Stir well; allow the stew to simmer for 5 minute. Add the boiled eggs, stir and turn off the heat.

Your Buka Stew is ready. You can serve this stew with white rice, boiled yam, obe ila /obe ilasa , fried plantain, boiled sweet potatoes, boiled Irish potatoes, or fried yam.

Sources

My Diaspora Kitchen

Sisi Jemimah

Featured image source: PBS

This article Recipe for Pepper Stew appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Seasonal foods are foods that are harvested at a particular time of the year. This is usually the time when the produce is the cheapest and the freshest in the market. Now, you may not have considered this but every agricultural produce that we enjoy tells a story of triumph. Indeed, not every seed that is planted germinates. Not every seed that germinates attains maturity. Some are killed by diseases, eaten by animals and some others are destroyed by environmental factors like bad weather. Still, not every matured and harvested agricultural produce ends up on our table. Some are ruined in the course of transportation or due to poor preservation. Thus, we ought to have a sincere appreciation for every food that weathered the storms and graciously landed in our kitchen.

The soil of Northern Nigeria is a fertile womb that gives birth to rich agricultural products annually. Tomato is one of the products to emerge from its womb.  Tomatoes are one of the most consumed vegetables in the world. It is enjoyed in its raw or processed form. Indeed, several delicacies are prepared with this vital nutritional vegetable.

Nigeria is currently the largest producer of fresh tomatoes in Sub-Saharan Africa and the second largest producer of fresh tomatoes in Africa.[1]  Globally, the country ranks as the 14th largest tomato producing nation. With over 1.5 million tonnes harvested annually, the country accounts for 68.4 percent of West Africa’s output; 10.79 percent of Africa’s output and 1.2 per cent of total world production of the crop. Tomatoes are grown in Nigeria in its diverse agro-ecological zones that range from humid in the south to sub-humid in the middle belt and semiarid/arid in the north.[2] States involved in commercial production of tomatoes in Nigeria include Kano, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Katsina, Benue, Jigawa and Plateau.  Annually, small scale farmers in these northern states work tirelessly to produce the massive tonnes that give Nigeria a secure place amongst tomato producing nations of the world. By planting between 0.5 and 4 hectares of land, they account for 90% of production. Commercial producers contribute the ten percent that brings production to a hundred.

Sadly, Nigerian farmers, on the average, generate the lowest yields for tomatoes in Africa at 4.0MT/Ha. This is significantly lower than Egypt’s 38.7MT/Ha and South Africa’s yields of 78.7MT/Ha.[3] Annually, Nigeria loses 40- 50% of its tomato produce to poor handling, processing, transportation and preservation practices. The result of this is that despite being the largest producer and consumer of tomatoes in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite having a secure place in the committee of tomato producing states, Nigeria ironically has a place as Africa’s biggest importer of tomato paste.

[1] Omosomi Omomia, “The Recent Tomato Crisis, Household Consumption and Disposable Incomes,” Business Daily Intelligence, Accessed 9^th January, 2019, 1.

[2]T. O. Olanrewaju, I. A. Jacobs, R. Suleiman and M. I. Abubakar, “Trend Analysis of Tomato Production in Nigeria (2010 TO 2014),” Research Gate

[3]Sahel, “The Tomato Value Chain in Nigeria,”

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Food is a universal necessity. It plays a central role in establishing family, professional, and communal bonds. Beyond merely nourishing the body, what we eat and with whom we eat can inspire and strengthen the bonds between individuals and communities. The art of cooking is inseparable from our own personal stories, our memories and associations. The ability to create simple traditional dishes from limited ingredients is one of the reasons why cooking is an art. Simple meals are usually original, delicious; it usually entails the smart usage of resources (often limited ingredients) to produce scrumptious meals.

On our history segment today is eko. Eko is a typical Yoruba street food that has become a well-loved Nigerian delicacy. It is a light meal that is rich in carbohydrate. It can be eaten at any time of the day. Among the Igbo, it is known as agidi. It is a solid version of the Nigerian pap which is called akamu in Ibo; ogi in Yoruba.

Eko is made from fermented maize flour. It is prepared just like pap, with just a little difference in cooking time. The pap is allowed to cook for a longer time until it thickens. The thickened pap is then wrapped and allowed to cool. It comes out as a solid soft jelly. Eko is a classic example of cold pudding. It can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

There are two types of Eko, the plain white and the jollof. White/plain Eko is to eko jollof what white rice is to jollof rice. Here are three major differences between the two. While the white is simply the solid version of pap, the jollof is solid pap that is steamed in tomato and pepper base. Again, the jollof can be enjoyed on its own but the plain white is usually served with accompaniments like moi moi, akara, tomato stew, and pepper soup. It can also be served with a variety of soups like efo riro, okro or ogbono soup. And while biscuit bone is an essential ingredient in eko jollof (so important is this bone that a song was dedicated to it), the white does not have any bone in it.

Plain eko is usually recommended for invalids and convalescents. Those who are watching their weight use white eko as a substitute for eba or fufu. The white is also recommended as a starter food for babies; the thickened pap is enriched with milk or fruit puree before it is transferred to a mould or container to set.  

Finally, eko is usually wrapped with uma leaves. However, in the absence of uma leaves, any clean container can be used.

References

Mummy’s Yum

Nigerian Food TV

Featured image source: InfoGuideNigeria.Com

This article Origin of Nigerian Foods: Eko appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Oil palm is a perennial crop which grows in abundance in Nigeria. Its fruit, the palm fruit is juicy. Palm fruits contain oil which can be processed when ripe to produce palm oil which is used in preparing all manner of local delicacies.

On our menu today is banga soup, the oil-rich delicacy that originates from South-South Nigeria. The major ingredient for this soup is palm fruit. However, the palm oil used in banga soup is different from the processed palm oil used in preparing most local delicacies in Nigeria. Palm oil extraction for banga Soup is done at very low temperature. It is a mixture of oil and water and it contains less saturated fat.

Banga soup is the Niger-Delta version of Ofe Akwu Ndi Igbo. It is a very tasty local dish. It is prepared with native spices which give this soup its peculiar flavour. Why don’t you join me on a cooking adventure to the Niger-Delta, I’ll show you how to prepare this delicacy.

Ingredients

Fresh palm nuts

Beef

Stockfish

Dry fish

Kpomo

Cow leg

Periwinkle

Beletientien or scent leaves

Ataiko

Irugege

Oburunbebe

Aidan Fruit

Crayfish

Pepper

Onions

Stock Cubes

Salt

Method

Rinse the meat very well to get rid of sand. Rinse the stockfish and dry fish with salt and warm water. Season the meat and stockfish with onions, stock cubes and salt. Add water to the pot and place on medium heat to boil. Cook till tender. Bear in mind that when boiling different kinds of meat, it is always advisable to start with the tougher parts. Wash and slice your scent leaves or Beletientien leaves and set aside.

Rinse the palm nuts, put in a pot and add water. Allow it to cook on medium heat. When palm nuts are tender, remove from pot and place in a clean mortar. The next step is the palm oil extraction. To this end, use a pestle to gently pound the palm nuts. Emphasis is on gently; the aim of this exercise is to separate the outer skin from the nut and not to break the palm nuts. When you’re done, keep the pestle aside. If you’re using a large mortar pour hot water into the mortar, otherwise, transfer the palm nuts into a bowl before pouring the hot water. Hot water makes oil extraction which is done by hand squeezing easier. But the water should not be too hot so it doesn’t burn your hands oh! Your palm oil extract should be thick and not too watery.

Decant the oil to a clean pot using a sieve. Add enough water, possibly double the quantity of Banga extract because it needs to cook well. Cook on medium heat for about thirty minutes. At this point, your soup will be thicker; oil will be floating atop the bubbling banga extract.

Add your meat stock to the pot alongside the dry fish, ground crayfish, pepper, ataiko, aidan fruit, irugege and oburunbebe stick. Add stock cube and salt to taste. Cover and allow to cook for about ten minutes. By now, the unique banga aroma should fill your kitchen. Add the washed and sliced beletientien leaves and periwinkle. Leave to simmer for about three minutes. Serve with starch or eba.

Featured image source: Zeelicious Foods

This article Recipe for Banga Soup appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Owerri, the capital of Imo state is located in the heart of Igboland. It is the state’s largest city and the unofficial statue headquarters of Nigeria. People of Owerri are lovers of good music; the town has an active night life that is unrivaled in all of South-Eastern Nigeria.

The interesting thing about the soup we’re discussing today is that you can tell the origin of the soup from the name. Ofe Owerri is the royal delicacy of the Owerri people of Imo State. This soup is a culinary symbol of affluence. It is the type of soup my Aguleri people call Ove ndi agri, supu nyachi which means a highly enriched soup specially prepared for a loved one. When an Owerri man prepares this delicacy for his guests, it is an unmistakable symbol of honour and prestige.  In his evergreen album titled, “Ofe Owere,” Dr. Sir Warrior, the late high life musician, stamped Ofe Owerri as the food of the rich when he asked the question, onye na adi ego oji aga eri Ofe Owerri? which means can a poor man eat Ofe Owerri?

However, while there seems to be a unanimous agreement on the generous budget allocation for this soup, the appropriate vegetables for preparing this delicacy have remained in contention. While some believe that it is okazi and ugu, others insist that it is uziza and ora leaves. Even though I’m not interested in joining the controversy, I’ll add my two cents to the discussion. Food is an important part of culture. There are culinary traditions associated with every culture. They are often passed down from one generation to the next and they operate as an expression of cultural identity.[1]  However, variety is a product of adventure. A lot has to be said for culture contact and the attendant changes resulting from such cross-cultural interactions. One of the implications of cross-cultural interactions is that our local cuisine can be reinvented to suit an acquired taste. Bearing in mind that alterations to original dishes can create new flavors while retaining the cultural significance of the dish,[2] we should endeavor to be open-minded when we encounter recipes that differ from what we have. That said, I use okazi and ugu to prepare Ofe Owerri.

Ofe Owerri is fairly easy to prepare. The major ingredients for this soup are assorted meat, stock fish, dry fish, the vegetables, (ugu and okazi), cocoyam and locust beans. Anyone who can cook ofe onugbu or ofe ora can prepare this soup with ease.

References

[1]Freely Magazine, “What Food Tell us about Culture” January 7^th, 2017

[2] Freely Magazine, “What Food Tell us about Culture”

Featured image: Sodic Garden

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Gizzard belongs to the family of foods called offal. It is the digestive tract of the chicken. It is often filled with stones which aid the bird in the grinding and digestion of food. The gizzard is small in size and has a distinctive taste. Many years ago, gizzard was considered the meat for men in Igboland. It was exclusively reserved for the head of the family. Women and children were forbidden from eating it. Today, with the influx of frozen chicken into the market, anyone can afford to can buy any part of chicken they want and in the desired quantity too. Every time I think about the gizzard taboo, I am reminded of the Igbo saying, uwa n’ eme ntughari which means the world is dynamic.

Gizdodo, as can be deduced from the name, is basically gizzard and ripe plantain sautéed in peppered sauce. It’s a finger-food, a simple dish that can be served alone or with any rice or spaghetti dish. Here is a list of ingredients for making this food and a concise guide on how to make it.

Ingredients

Gizzard

Ripe plantains (not over ripe)

Tomatoes

Atarodo

Fresh pepper

Carrot

Green beans

Spring onions

Green pepper

Seasoning/stock cubes

How to Cook

Rinse the gizzard and put it in a pot. Spice it with onions, pepper, stock cubes and salt. Pre-cook for about twenty minutes. When the gizzard is tender, chop it into smaller bits. I prefer to cut each gizzard into three parts. Afterwards, peel the plantains and chop it into cube sizes. Rinse the tomatoes, pepper and the atarodo. Destalk the pepper and remove the seed from the atarodo. Blend or cut the tomatoes, atarodo and pepper. Dice onions as well as carrot and green pepper and keep aside.

Please note that for gizdodo, I prefer a wide frying pan. This eliminates the chances of mashing while stirring. Having said that, add vegetable oil to the frying pan and fry the plantain until it is golden brown. Scoop into a sieve and set aside. Reduce the oil and fry the gizzard. When it’s properly fried, scoop it into a sieve. Check the oil in the frying pan, if it is now too small, add a little extra to it. Add chopped onions. Stir and add the blended puree and pepper. Fry on medium heat for about fifteen minutes. Add salt and seasoning cubes to taste. Once the taste is to your satisfaction, add the gizzard. Stir well so the gizzard blends fully with the sauce. Then add the fried plantain and vegetables; stir then leave on fire for a maximum of three minutes. Turn off the heat and serve hot.

References

We Men Should Cook

All Nigerian Foods

Featured image source: All Nigerian Foods

This article Recipe for GizDodo appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

I woke up late yesterday so there was no time to prepare food. I hurriedly attended to my toilette. I took sardine from the canned food cabinet and bought bread and coke on my way to work. That was my breakfast. I planned to do bolé and fish at lunch but I had so much to do that I worked through lunch break. As a result, I was starving when I left the office at 5:45pm. It was already too late for bolé and fish; I was tired of rice and I didn’t feel like eating eba. On the drive home with my friend, I thought about what I wanted to eat. And then, my eyes fell on this restaurant and I asked my friend to park. We’d discovered Epic Meals Afrika a couple of weeks back and we’d been talking about visiting the restaurant. Since I was starving, yesterday seemed like a good day to visit.

Epic Meals Afrika is situated at 106B Woji Road, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt. The restaurant shares a building with several other businesses. The compound is big enough to accommodate several vehicles, so parking space wasn’t an issue. We walked into the restaurant and I was impressed with the space management. The restaurant is divided into two sections, the main restaurant and the VIP section. The main restaurant is small; it has just three tables and, of course, the food service counter. I loved the fact that whoever did the decoration did not feel obliged to cluster the place. The art works are lovely and the table clothes are made from African fabric. The VIP section is bigger; at a guess it can accommodate about twenty one guests. The decorations are no different from the one at the main restaurant but this section is perfect for business meetings.

Epic Meals Afrika opens by 8:00am and closes by 8:00pm. They do home and office delivery as well as outdoor catering. There were three staff on ground when we visited. The friendly waiter I met also doubles as a cook. The menu is purely Nigerian. There’s ukwa, abacha, afang soup, ofe onugbu, nkwobi, and so many other Nigerian meals on the menu. But I was quite astonished to see achicha there. Achicha is an Enugu delicacy, one I enjoyed thoroughly as an undergraduate student at UNN. When I saw it on the menu, I wanted it but I was a bit skeptical; can they cook it well?  My skepticism must have showed on my face (God knows I have a very expressive face, lol) because the waiter told me in Igbo that she is Ada Enugu and that she can prepare all Enugu dishes well.  So I ordered for it and she apologetically informed me that it was not available. In fact, she said that order for such food as ukwa and achicha were placed a day before.

Anyway, I ordered for dry fish abacha and palm wine while my friend ordered ofe onugbu and eba. Both meals cost three thousand naira and were ready in twenty minutes. The abacha and palm wine was delectable. My friend also enjoyed his ofe onugbu.

So, my people, this is my experience at Epic Meals Afrika.  Why don’t you visit them sometime?

Featured image source: Dobby Signatures/Canva

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We love holidays. Any excuse to stay home and enjoy is welcome. Well, Easter is here again, at least, it will be here in a few days. As we make plans to celebrate this season of sacrifice by inviting friends and family to wine and dine with us, here are a few meals that will spice up your celebration.

White Rice and Chicken Vegetable Sauce

If you’re “Madam Rice and Tomato Stew every Sunday,” your children said I should tell you to give them something different this Easter. O gini di? Haven’t you heard that variety is the spice of life? Please cook chicken sauce for a change. Chicken Sauce is also called Gravy Sauce, Vegetable or Curry Sauce. It is made from salad ingredients. It will jazz up your white rice and make the Easter Dinner special.

Ofe Nsala

Davido’s million dollar soup is a must-have this season. Show love to your family. Prepare ofe nsala with fresh fish or chicken. Serve it with pounded yam. Your loved ones will definitely thank you for it.

Barbequed Catfish

This is also called ‘point and kill’. It’s a weekend favourite for bar regulars. But it can be prepared at home if you have an oven. This is one delicacy we enjoy when my siblings and I are at home for festivities. I think of it as a family bonding meal because we always buy big ones and we all dig in while drinking, gisting, laughing and having fun. So try barbequed catfish this weekend. It is tasty, hot, spicy and finger-licking good.

Pepper Soup

This one is a winner, any day, any time. You can prepare it with cow leg, catfish, goat meat or chicken. All that pepper and meat will spice up your weekend.

Stir-Fried Spaghetti

If you’ve never eaten this delicacy, know say you dey dull yourself. This is a delicious meal that you can put together in twenty five minutes or less. Tomato is optional when this meal is concerned. It’s mostly curry and vegetables. The fresher the cooked veggies, the better.

Chicken and Chips

Life is good, my people. It’s not a joke. This nutritious fast food is perfect for this season. If you’re looking for a tasty, sharp-sharp food that can be used for breakfast or supper, try chicken and chips.

Yam Vegetable (Ji Agwolu Agwo)

You know, when it comes to festivities, some people are strictly traditional. Their food no dey pass rice, salad and chicken. If you are a member of this club, I hail you oh! But if you want something deliciously different, then try ji agwolu agwo. It is easy to cook. Boil yam. Rinse and steam your vegetable then pound it alongside pepper, crayfish, onions, locust bean (the wrapped one popularly used by Ndi Anambra in Onugbu Soup). Saute ugba in bleached palm oil. Then pour the Ugba and palm oil over the yam and vegetable. Call and thank me later. Lol.

Ukwa

For Ndi Anambra and all lovers of the African breadfruit, the ukwa porridge should make the Easter menu. It’s the season for it; this food is a perfect replacement for the usual Sunday Rice.

Featured image source: Buzz Nigeria

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Cabbage is a vegetable usually cooked with our everyday delicacies for its unique and rich taste. It is also known for its nutritional benefits and has been used as a treatment for some specific ailments. However, it may have never crossed the minds of many that this cruciferous vegetable can serve as a great ingredient for making Fufu.

Inasmuch as the idea of using cabbage to prepare Fufu may be strange to you, there are a lot of reasons to consider it. First, it is a great source of fiber; second, it holds a lot of nutritional benefits, and thirdly it is a great non-starch alternative to other forms of fufu.

In this video, watch Fantastic Favour, a Nigerian Youtube vlogger, take you through the step-by-step procedure on how to prepare this delicacy.

Featured image source: Oge Enka Channel

This article Video Of The Week: How To Make Cabbage Fufu appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Marriage is a rite of passage that is vital for the perpetuation of the human race. Even though the increase in the rate of divorce is alarming, marriage is still considered a once in a lifetime affair. One effect of this optimistic outlook is that people pull out all the stops when they are planning their wedding. The goal is perfection and everything, including food, just has to be on point. This is especially so for the Yoruba who occupy the South-Western States in Nigeria. They are the unofficial entertainment capital of Nigeria. When the Yoruba man decides to party, it just has to be lavish. After asoebi, food is the next big deal. Of course, Yoruba people no dey disappoint for food matter. Yoruba traditional wedding ceremony is called Igbeyawo. So here are five foods you’ll find in Yoruba Wedding.

Amala and Ewedu

One thing I can say for the Yoruba is that they are a people who love their food and culture to a fault. When it comes to weddings, amala must be on the menu regardless of the location or the couple’s level of sophistication. Amala is a well loved delicacy in Yoruba land. Even though this meal is a staple food in most homes, it is still cherished at Yoruba marriage ceremonies.

Ofada Rice and Ayamase Stew

This is the spiciest food in Yoruba weddings so if you don’t have a cooler in your mouth, no near am. Minus skilled presentation, this delicacy is not wowing at first glance but wedding guests love this food. Ofada rice is the Yoruba brand of local rice.  The perfect sauce for this rice is Ayamase stew. It is mostly served in a plate lined with banana or uma leaves.

Asun

Guests dey rush this delicacy because the Yoruba have A1 in preparing it. Asun is well spiced grilled goat meat chopped into bite-sized pieces. It is grouped under small chops in Nigeria and is usually served as an appetizer in Yoruba weddings. If you’re a fan of peppered meat, you’ll love asun.

Jollof Rice

I think this delicacy should be christened, “it must be there” because no event in Nigeria is complete without it. It is always served with one or a combination of the following: fried or grilled beef, fish or chicken, moi-moi, and salad. 

Asaro

This mashed yam pottage is peculiar to the Yoruba. This traditional meal is made with assorted meats and fish, palm oil and spices. Asaro is also served at Yoruba traditional weddings.

References

Ifeoma Nnewuihe, “Going to a Yoruba Wedding this Weekend? Here are some Delicious Meals you would find there,” FabWoman

Anita Oguni, “7 Meals you can’t miss at a typical Nigerian Wedding,” Iludio

Featured image source: Pulse.ng

This article Did You Know? 5 Food that can be Found in a Yoruba Wedding appeared first on Connect Nigeria.

Food is a central activity of human beings. It is a global language of communication. It not only satisfies the body, it is a tool for building families, relationships and even communities. Cultural foods represent the traditions of a people. It is one of the most significant trademarks of a culture.[1] The preparation and consumption of cultural foods is an expression of pride in our heritage and ethnicity.

The Omabala (Anglicized Anambra) River from which the state, Anambra, derives its name is a tributary of the River Niger. The Omabala Area refers to people of towns and communities either living on the bank of the Omabala River or those communities whose land share common boundary with the Omabala River.[2] In the pre-colonial and colonial era, the people of this area were largely fishermen and farmers. Their occupational preference at that time was a clear testament of the fact that the environment impacts heavily on every human society.[3]                                                                           

Ofe Nsala is a mouthwatering delicacy that originates from the Omabala area of Anambra State.  This soup is known as white soup because palm oil is not used in its preparation. It is also referred to as fish soup because it is typically prepared with fresh fish and dry fish. The use of chicken in preparing this soup is a recent development. The thickener for ofe nsala is pounded yam. While the cook determines the consistency for this soup, it is pertinent to mention that ofe nsala ndi Omabala is usually slightly thick. Local herbs and spices like uda (Xylopia aethibicum) and utazi (Gongronema latifolium) give this soup its unique flavor. They are believed to possess anti-inflammatory properties. They are also believed to contain properties that are allegedly effective in aiding the easy flow of blood collected in the uterus during pregnancy as well as stimulating milk production.[4] It is therefore a recommended delicacy for postpartum care.

Ofe nsala and nni ji (pounded yam) is a ceremonial food in the Omabala area. It is pertinent to mention at this point that other riverine communities in Nigeria prepare different variations of the soup. The difference, however, lies in the flavouring, seasoning and spicing of the soups. Afia efere, for instance, is the Efik version of ofe nsala. It contains such extra ingredients like periwinkle and stock fish. This variation, in my opinion, proves that while two cultures can share the same food they usually have different methods of preparing it.

Ofe Nsala is easy to prepare. It shares the same ingredients with pepper soup; both are spicy soups that are perfect for cold weather. However, the thicker appearance of ofe nsala is what differentiates it from pepper soup.

[1]Mark Kurlansky, Choice Cuts

[2] Iveanyi Udevi, 67 years, Legal Practitioner, interviewed at Onitsha, 18^th March, 2018.

[3] Onwuka Njoku, Economic History of Nigeria (Enugu, Magnet Business Enterprises, 2001).

[4] Ogechukwu Christiana Ezekwem, “Missions and the Rise of the Western Maternity among the Igbo of South-Eastern Nigeria,” (MA Dissertation, Department of History, University of Texas), 15-16.

Featured image source: cookpad.com

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My Cousin, Chichi, was the first person to serve me boiled yam and this yummy stew. In case you don’t know, garden egg stew is a local Nigerian stew prepared with fresh garden eggs. The best garden egg for this sauce are white garden eggs. The slightly yellow ones are perfect -they are ripe and are not bitter. This sauce is prepared with palm oil and locust bean. The oil adds colour to it while the locust bean gives this stew a unique native flavor.

Ingredients

Garden eggs

Smoked fish

Pomo (optional)

Locust bean (ogiri-okpei)

Crayfish (optional)

Pepper

Onions

Palm oil

How to cook

Rinse the garden eggs very well and remove the stalk. The next step involves turning the garden eggs into puree. There are two ways to achieve this. You can either blend or pound the garden eggs. Please note that some people prefer to boil the garden eggs before blending or pounding. I prefer blending to pounding. However, I do not boil the garden eggs before blending. I simply cut them into small pieces, put them in the blender and add some water. Then, I blend as smoothly or as roughly as I desire. I’ve never tried pounding garden eggs to make this stew. But Chichi insists on boiling the garden eggs till they’re tender first. Afterwards, she peels the skin off the garden eggs before pounding with mortar and pestle. Either way, once the puree is ready, set aside for later use.  

Next, cut the onions then blend the pepper, crayfish and locust bean. Prepare the smoked fish and boil the pomo till it’s tender. The ingredients are ready so it is time to start the cooking proper.

Pour the garden egg puree into a clean pot. Cook till the water is almost dried up then set aside for later use. Please bypass this step if you boiled the garden egg before pounding. Then, pour the palm oil in a clean dry pot. Place on medium heat. When it’s hot, add the diced onions to it and sauté.

Add the ogiri-okpei, crayfish and pepper blend. Fry on medium heat for about six minutes. Add the garden egg puree and stir for a bit. Cover the pot and cook-fry. Stir and monitor the sauce to avoid burning. After about three minutes, add the smoked fish and cooked pomo and stir. Then add stock cube and salt to taste. Stir, then cover the pot. Let the content simmer for a minute then turn off the heat.

Your garden egg sauce is ready. Serve with boiled yam or plantain.  Bon appetite.

Featured image source: Onyx Food Hill

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