Recipes

Pounded Yam (Iyan):

Iyan is considered to be one of the local dietary staple food in Nigeria. Its very much like mashed potatoes except that it is more much more smoother, heavier and tastier. Pounded yam {Iyan} is often eaten with okro soup, Vegetables soup like spinach with egusi stew.

Preparation of Pounded Yam {Iyan}.

Boil 1 litre of water in the kettle.
Pour boiled water gently into the cooking pot.
Add 11/2 to 2 cups of pounded yam flour to the pot.
Stir constantly to ensure no lumps occur.
As you stir, a glutinous mass in shape of dough is formed.
Let it simmer on the cooker under low heat.
Add either more pounded yam flour {Iyan} or water depending on desired texture and consistency.
Immediately continue to stir for approximately 5-7 minutes using a wooden stick {Omorogun} to beat the flour mix again until a smooth ball type is formed.
Then add another 10 – 15 ml of boiled water to the pot of mixture and lower the heat of the cooker.
Leave the dough-like {solid} to simmer for about 2-4 minutes.
Remove the yam flour mixture from the pot, serve into the plate and serve with your desired either egusi stew, ogbono stw or okro stew.

Elubo / Amala {Yam Flour}

Elubo / Amala is the name given to dried yam with skin that is processed and milled into fine flour. The milling process involve carefully selection of the best yam tuber from each harvest, peeled the tubers and then sun dried its succulent pulp until it becomes almost crisply dry; after which the dried pulp is then processed at the milling plant into fine flour.

Amala is commonly prepared traditionally Nigerian meal, which has the same as the pounded yam concept.

Amala is rich in starch and protein; and also provides a high fibre diet. Thus is often preferred to other solid meal like Eba, Iyan and Fufu because it is thought to be lighter of all solid meal. Amala is one of the main staple foods amongst the Yorubas of west Africa.

Preparation of Yam Flour (Amala / Elubo).

Boil 1 litre of water in the kettle.
Pour boiled water gently into the cooking pot.
Add 11/2 to 2 cups of Yam flour (Amala) to the pot.
Stir constantly to ensure no lumps occur.
As you stir, a glutinous mass in shape of dough is formed.
Let it simmer on the cooker under low heat.
Add either more Yam flour {Amala} or water depending on desired texture and consistency.
Immediately continue to stir for approximately 5-7 minutes using a wooden stick, until you achieve your desire texture and form; which tend to be a smooth ball type is formed.
Serve into the plate and can be eaten with any traditional Africa soups such as Egusi soup, Ewedu, Gbegiri or okro.

Gari Cassava Granules:

This is cassava that has been fermented desiccated and roasted to produce a coarse granular flour. This can be processed into white gari or yellow (by adding some palm oil during the processing.

Gari is a typical indigenous food of the Ijebus (a tribe from West Africa of Nigeria). It can be eaten as snack without any further cooking, simply by following this:

Pour the gari granules into a bowl of cold water; in a ratio proportional of water to gari i.e. (3:1).
Then add evaporated (peak) milk or fresh milk, sugar and choice of roasted nuts such as peanut / cashew nut.
Start to enjoy, eat like would any cereals.

Preparation of Cassava Flour (Eba).

Boil 1 litre of water in the kettle.
Pour boiled water gently into the cooking pot.
Add 11/2 to 2 cups of Cassava flour (Eba) to the pot.
Stir constantly to ensure no lumps occur.
As you stir, a glutinous mass in shape of dough is formed.
Add more water if required until you achieve your desired texture and form; which tend to be a smooth ball type is formed.

Ogbono Soup (Draw Soup)

Ogbono Soup (Draw Soup) is a popular Nigerian stew recipe made with Ogbono Seeds (wild African bush mango seeds). Ogbono soup has a mucilaginous (slimy) texture, similar to okra soup. It can be cook with vegetables, and sometimes combine it with melon (egusi) seeds to get a combined mixture;

Ogbono Soup ingredients.

2 handful of Ogbono Seeds OR 3 handful ground Ogbono powder.
Assorted Meat and Fish: (could be a mixture of any of these :Beef, cowfoot, Shaki(tripe),Ponmo(cow skin) Dry Fish & Stock Fish).
2-3 Cooking spoonful Palm Oil.
Vegetable :Spinach OR Pumpkin leaves(ugu) OR Bitter leaf(onugbu)..or a mixture of bitter leaf and Ugwu.
Crayfish(as you like it).
1 Onion bulb.
2 stock cubes (seasoning cubes).
Chilli Pepper or scotch bonnet(atarodo) (to taste).
salt (to taste).

Cooking Directions for Ogbono Soup.

If you bought Whole ogbono seeds, Grind them thoroughly using a dry mill or a good blender or coffee grinder.
Wash, season and cook the assorted meat, dry fish & stock fish with onions, stock cube and salt to taste.Cook until tender.
Slice the vegetables,Grind the pepper and set aside.

Now to cook the Ogbono Soup…

Heat up the red palm oil in a clean dry pot until hot. You can add minced onions if you like (adding onions is optional).
Now, put off the heat and add the ground Ogbono into the hot oil. Dissolve the ogbono by pressing with the back of your spoon and stirring constantly.
Now, put back on low heat, add a little water or meat stock, and leave to boil for a minute. You will notice that it has become thicker and has a slimy texture (it has started to ”draw”).
Add more of the meat stock or water and leave to boil for 10 minutes; Stir the soup constantly so that it does not burn at the bottom.

Then add the cooked dry fish, stock fish, assorted meat , stock cube, pepper, the ground crayfish and salt to taste.
Mix well, cover and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, you should check on it and stir the soup constantly to prevent burning.
At this stage, you will notice the change in the aroma of the soup. Stir and add the shredded spinach or ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves).
Simmer for 1-2 minute and put of the heat. Now your Ogbono soup is ready. Ogbono soup is usually served hot with any Nigerian bolus meal, such as Eba, Fufu, Pounded Yam.

Egusi Soup

Egusi Soup is a popular Nigerian soup, which is made with melon seeds and enriched with spices and vegetables. It can be prepared with leafy vegetables, such as ugwu(fluted pumpkin leaves), bitter leaf, spinach etc…

Ingredients for the Egusi Soup.

3 medium cups Egusi Seeds(melon seeds).
Assorted meat (shaki, cow meat, goat meat , turkey meat, chicken, pork meat etc).
Assorted dry fish of choice (stockfish etc).
Dried Prawns (optional).
Red Palm Oil: 2 cooking spoons.
1 tablespoonful ground Crayfish.
Bitter leaf (as desired).
Ugu/Spinach (3 handful).
2 seasoning cubes.
Pepper (to taste).
Salt (to taste).

Cooking directions for Egusi soup.

Preps:

Boil the assorted meat and stock fish, with chopped onions, one seasoning cube and salt to taste. Cook until tender and set aside for later use.
Clean the dried prawns by separating the heads & tails from the center. Grind the heads & tails and set aside to use in the soup. Then soak the center in hot water, to soften and clean it.
Grind the egusi seeds until smooth and then dissolve with lukewarm water to form a paste.

Now to cook the Egusi Soup.

Heat up the palm oil until hot, add diced onions and the dissolved egusi. Fry for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Add the bitter leaf and a little water or the meat stock. Add the prawns and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
Now add the cooked meat and stock fish. Add the ground prawns(or crayfish), ground pepper and seasoning cubes. Boil for 15 minutes.
Add the sliced spinach leaves and simmer for 5 minutes and the soup is ready.

Edikang Ikong

Edikaikong soup is a nutritious Nigerian soup recipe made with a generous amount of fresh leafy vegetables, dried fish and assorted meat. It is actually one of the native soups of the south – eastern states(Efiks) of Nigeria (Cross River and Akwa Ibom states). Edikang Ikong used to be referred to as the ”soup of the wealthy”, because of the variety of rich proteins used in making the soup; but today, anyone can enjoy this delicious soup.

It is usually cooked with a combination of two different vegetables; Ikong Ubong /Ugwu leaves (fluted pumpkin leaves) and water leaves; but in the absence of fluted pumpkin leaves and water leaves, Spinach and Lamb lettuce/Mache (Valerianella locusta) can be used.

Edikang Ikong Soup Recipe.

1kg Spinach/fluted Pumpkin leaves(Ugwu).
200g Water leaves.
500g of assorted meat (cow tripe (shaki), snails, cow’s skin (kanda).
Stockfish(optional).
Smoked fish.
250ml palm oil.
1 cup Periwinkles(optional), but it gives the soup a boost.
2 tablespoons ground crayfish.
2 stock cubes.
1 medium sized onion.
2 scotch bonnet Pepper (fresh hot pepper).
salt to taste.

Cooking directions for Edikang Ikong Soup

Prepare the vegetables by washing and cutting them into tiny bits (thin slices preferably) and set aside.
Wash and cut the assorted meat in bite-able sizes. Clean the periwinkles, dried fish and stockfish and set aside.

Cooking the Edikang Ikong Soup…

Place the assorted meat and stock fish in the pot , add a little water,the chopped onion and one stock cube.Cook until all the meat is properly cooked and there is just a little liquid in the pot(remember to cook the toughest meat first).
When the meat is done, add the dried fish and periwinkle. Add the palm oil, the ground pepper and crayfish and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
Now add the water leaves (or lamb lettuce) and leave to cook for 3 minutes. Then add the Ikong Ubong /Ugu leaves(fluted pumpkin leaves) and salt to taste. Stir thoroughly and leave to simmer for 5 minutes on low heat and your Edikang Ikong soup is ready. Enjoy!
Edikang Ikong soup is usually served with Usi (Starch),Pounded Yam, Eba, Fufu, Semolina or Amala.

Afang Soup

Afang soup is a tasty, nutritious and popular Nigerian soup of the native of Efiks/ Ibibios (Akwa Ibom & Cross river states). This delicious stew has a slight bitter taste and is usually prepared with a combination of vegetables (Afang leaves and water leaves), assorted seafood/ fish, meat and spices. Afang soup is one of the richest and somewhat medicinal vegetable soups of the Efiks/ Ibibios in Nigeria. The Igbos’ have a similar soup known as okazi soup. The only major difference is that a soup thickener is added to okazi soup to increase its viscosity(thickness), but afang soup gets its thickness from the bulk of vegetables used in preparing it.

Here’s an easy recipe to try out…Enjoy!

Afang Soup Ingredients.

200 gr beef or assorted meat(cow skin, shaki(tripe), etc).
20 gr Smoked fish.
Stock fish (optional).
1 handful Shelled Periwinkle(optional because some people don’t like periwinkles).
2 tablespoonful ground crayfish.
500g Afang Leaves(same as okazi/ukazi leaves, you can use the dry or fresh leaves).
1kg Water leaves(or lamb lettuce or Spinach as an alternative if you live outside Africa).
500 ml Palm oil.
2 Stock cubes(maggi/knorr/onga or any one you have).
Fresh pepper(scotch bonnet/atarodo) or ground dried pepper(to taste).
Salt to taste.

Cooking directions for Afang soup.

Slice the water leaves and set aside. Slice Afang leaves, pound or blend it and set aside.
Tip: the dry leaves are tougher than the fresh leaves,so try to grind it as fine as you can.
Cook the assorted meat and stock fish with chopped onions, one stock cube/seasoning cube and salt to taste. Cook until tender.
Then clean the dried fish in hot water, remove the bones and add the fish to the pot of cooked meat.
Add the Palm oil, pepper, ground crayfish and remaining stock cube to the pot.
Mix well and then add periwinkles (if you are using any).
Cover the pot and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, add the Afang leaves, leave to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes and then add the water leaves. If using fresh Afang leaves, let it simmer for 3 minutes.

Tip: it is customary to add water leaves before the afang leaves, but due to the toughness of the afang leaves, add it first before the water leaves, so feel free to do it whichever way you like, the soup will still taste good.

Add salt to taste , simmer for 2 minutesand your Afang Soup is ready..Enjoy.
Afang soup is usually served hot with Usi(starch), Eba, Pounded Yam, Fufu, Semolina, Amala.

Okra Soup

Okra soup (also known as Okro soup or Lady’s finger soup) is a delicious soup popular in several parts of the world. It is also a popular Nigerian soup and known as Ofe Okwuru (Igbo), Obe Ila(Yoruba ), Miyan Kubewa in Hausa language. Some folks love their okra soup chunky, while others want it smooth, but all that really matters is that the soup comes out tasty and delicious.

Okra is also great for weight management recipe simply because of its health benefits.
Some of which are listed:

Okra is loaded with vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and is more than just a food; it is a also a medicine.
Okra helps in weight management and it’s good for people on a weight loss or fitness journey. This is because 100g of raw okra pods contains 30 calories and also has lots of dietary fibers that gives you a feeling of fullness.
Okra is great for pregnant women, because it contain folic acid which is needed for the formation of the neural tube of the fetus.
Okra is a good laxative ans aids bowel movement.
Okra is great for the skin and hair. Cut some okra pods and boil in little water until the juice mucilage begins to come out. Strain out and add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply mixture to hair and wash off after 10 minutes. Your hair will feel stronger and have more glow to it.
Okra helps cure diabetes.
Okra Promotes colon health.
Okra boosts digestion.
Okra relieves cough.
Okra Improves eyesight (vision).
Okra Helps to cure and prevent Constipation.

Ingredients.

300grams Okra (Ladyfingers).
2 cooking spoons Red Palm Oil.
500grams Assorted meat(Beef, Shaki(Cow’s Tripe), Ponmo(cow’s skin), turkey, chicken(you can use anyone of choice or all if you choose).
200 grams Assorted Fish (Dry Fish, Stock Fish,Fresh or Iced Fish )(you can use anyone of choice or all if you choose).
1 tablespoonful ground Crayfish.
1 small onion bulb( for cooking the meat).You can add some to the soup if you want to.
2 handfuls of shredded green Vegetable – Pumpkin leaves or Spinach.
2 big stock cubes (bouillon cube).
Pepper to taste.
Salt to taste.

Cooking direction.
Before your cook the Okra soup

Chop the okras into tiny bits, but if you want it less chunky, you can grate it with a grater, Set aside, Shred or cut the vegetables into thin sliced and set aside.
Season the stock fish and assorted meat with a stock cube, onions and salt to taste. Cook until tender. If you’ll be using shaki (cow tripe) or ponmo (cow skin), you need to cook them first before adding the other meat because they are tough . Add the fresh or iced fish and pre-cook for 5 minutes.(that’s if you’re using this).

Cooking the Soup…

In a clean dry pot, heat up the palm oil , add the chopped or grated okras and stir-fry for 5 minutes until you begin to see the okra mucilage (”until it begins to draw a bit”).
Add the stock from the cooked meat and fish. Add the ground crayfish, pepper, stock cube and the cooked assorted meat and fish (don’t include the pre-cooked fresh fish yet , so that it doesn’t overcook and break into pieces).
Cover and leave to cook for 5 minutes. Okra is also a vegetable, so try not over cook it.
After 5 minutes, add the vegetables, salt to taste and the pre-cooked Fresh or iced fish. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until the fish is well cooked.
Okra soup is usually served with pounded yams, eba, fufu.