This is one of the few times I make Jollof rice without first cooking the rice. The first thing I do is call my mother who instructs me accordingly. Rice. Banga cream and no spices. If at all, a mere pinch. I begin by washing the rice in water till clear. In a large pot,...
Here’s everything you need to get ready for World Jollof Rice Day – lessons on history, culture, controversies, essentials and more. Mark the date – August 22nd, use the #WorldJollofRiceDay. To begin, I recommend you listen to WizKid’s Ojuelegba. Just because it is my current favourite song and because…yeah, I say so. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/168209671″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%”...
This is what you make when you have left over corn mix from making Sapala – you shallow-fry small pancakes because you’re too lazy to deep-fry. It is better for your health so you proceed. You serve it with steamed ube filled with Chili Beer sauce. Yes, I made boats of the ube by splitting them in half,...
Save the silk Stock the cobs Blanch the leaves Eat the corn {What to do with the whole corn} Because corn is in season. And because I tried it last year and told myself I would make it again. Similar to the Mexican tamale…Except tamales are made with masa – corn meal that’s treated with lime and...
I have OCD. Without shame. Some things irk me, like unmixed chunks of flour in dough mixes. Sometimes, it is my fault – the wrong bowl, wrong spoon, wrong time. In spite of these, when the stars align, I’m in heaven. Some of my favourite things are square quart storage/ mixing bowls. They remind me...
I’m a fan of ‘whole food’ cooking – putting every part to good use. Enter, food52 and their ‘How to use a whole ear of corn‘ post. Here it goes: The Husks Nature has a way of creating its own vessels and corn husks, like banana leaves make great ‘containers’. I’ve ladled Ube’camole into fresh and...
Crunch. Refreshing. Clean. Really, that’s all you need to know. All there is. Well, not all but most of what there is. This is the season for cucumbers, Cucumis sativus. Originally from Southern Asia, they now grow in most climes and regions of the world where they sliced, picked, eaten, juiced and more. I like cucumbers...
Your foremost primer to making the best starch ever :). Starch. Usi to my Isoko heritage. Of cassava, like corn starch. Smooth, almost satiny on the fingers. And yes, this is the self same starch for stiffening clothes. Combined with palm oil, heated till a stretchy mass is formed, this is one of my favourite things...
This is how you first eat starch, with your grandmother’s fresh fish pepper soup, thick with Tilapia and the noon day Isoko sun. Usi, she calls it – softly, slightly hissing the s . You are in your Sunday best – every mothers dream of a princess child – frilled hems and checked belts tied...