My fascination for the Northern Nigerian Kitchen – The Arewa Kitchen is growing more and more and more. This week, I’d love to share snippets of what I’ve learnt about the cuisine. I will share drinks, meats and more but first up, breads! I love the ‘breads’ and pancakes. My first introduction was Masa, then...
Carrot cake…because carrots are in season and they are ‘healthyish’, aren’t they? Well, I think so. I discovered a gorgeous recipe on food52 which I continue to make with a few tweaks – namely upping the spices. I made this for a party, frosted it with lemony cream cheese and decorated it with glazed carrot...
This cheesecake combines zobo jelly with lime cream and crushed ginger cookies. It is a rendition of a blackberry and lime cheesecake I made a few years ago which had me smitten. One thing I’ve learnt in the process of making jellies and things with gelatin is the importance of testing. A great lesson taught...
This is my second take on an agbalumo carrot cake. Because of the zobo pineapple upside down cake, this came to mind. I used macerated agbalumo – flesh tossed in sugar and left to sit overnight till the sugar has drawn out a lot of the liquid and somewhat ‘dehydrated’ the fruit. I loved the...
Great shortbread, tart flavor from the dried agbalumo but not recognizable as Agbalumo. That is my review of the delicious cookies I made over the weekend. Using a quick and easy recipe from Jamie Oliver bar a few modifications – addition of water, use of dried Agbalumo, addition of cardamom and orange zest. I loved...
One thing always leads to another. Small chops from 12 Baskets at a party leads to this – chewy pancakes, the texture of mochi filled with sweet coconut and served with a mix of fruit and sauces. This plate is all about the elements: Pancakes made with Kuka, a mucilaginous powder which is green and...
Last week, I received this email and my eyes were awash. ‘My friend forwarded your recipe/blog on the coconut cookies. First of all, I remember those! Second, Peugeot 504 – I hadn’t thought of that car in forever and I remember getting squished in the back seat as well! Third, my dad worked for the State Department...
It’s the season of old yam, yam that’s sweeter, less watery, more tasty than new yam. It’s the season of celebration, of fond remembrance, of Thanksgiving. It is the season of rebirth, of hope, of possibility and this, right here – this cake is everything and more. It comes from the stunning The Groundnut cookbook,...
Just because. Because we all have that one friend who makes us be, become more than we feel capable. The one who encourages, who pushes us forward in spite of our own reluctance. The one who is always and forever there. This is for IJ, who forced me to learn to make layer cakes and...