October 1st is in a few days – I have a plan 🙂 – to share musings and recipes and what Freedom means to me. Independence makes me think of Freedom..and food and Acaraje – the Nigerian export to Brazil via slave trade. Freedom is Cultural Exchange…in which some changes become celebrations of shared history. Cultures...
Stock – the bedrock of Jollof Rice, of Fried Rice, Stews and more is easy to make. Nigerian stock differs from ‘Western’ style stocks because of the ingredients used. Your average Nigerian stock has red onions, fresh ginger and garlic, curry powder and dried thyme and more. In Europe, America and some other parts of...
Fifty seven bites. 57. One to celebrate each year of Independence and in no particular order.The recipes, ideas, concepts embrace and celebrate Nigeria, old and new. I find my love for this country on its plate. I say you have to do whatever you need to find your connection with this place…it’s always going to...
I consider stock – vegetable, chicken or beef – essential to my kitchen. From Jollof Rice to Fried, stews and other sauces, it changes the game infusing it with rich flavour and essence. When I was younger, I used stock that was the result of cooking meat which would accompany the meal. Over time, that...
There are one hundred mentions of Yam – one hundred. 100. C (Roman Numerals) in Things Fall Apart (1958) – the most widely read book in modern African literature. Written by renowned writer, the late Chinua Achebe, the novel is set in late 19th century Nigeria, pre colonisation. It follows the life of Okonkwo, a wrestling champion on a journey that...
I’m no stranger to smoked fish or to creating new things with old. Some people need to learn to deal with this :). I go on and on about The New Nigerian Kitchen because it’s really a mindset switch – we must test the boundaries of our ingredients and produce before we can say, hand...
…because we cannot go and die because tomatoes are outrageously expensive. Nigerians, praised for their resilience and ingenuity are currently seeking ways to do without Fresh tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes aren’t cheap for various reason but they are the bedrock upon which ‘stew’ is founded. In Nigeria, there is only one meaning of stew and that is a sauce...
Looking for inspiration? Healthy? Clean? Vibrant? With Nigerian ingredients? Here are a few salads to get you on your way. They feature: seasonal produce ‘superfoods- like acha lots of fruits and vegetables Cassava & Coconut Salad Beans & Corn Salad with fresh coconut Warm Acha Salad Suya Sesame Masa Salad Plantain Imoyo Salad Plantain &...
Ramadan Kareem to my Muslim friends. I’d like to share some ideas for Iftar and Suhoor – I hope they provide some inspiration this Ramadan. Your guide to eating during Ramadan Foods to break your fast Iftar Suhoor and more Desserts Sweeteners & Drinks Enjoy xxx