Yep, scent leaves again. And again, and again. This time, they walk the sweet route in a beautiful dessert. I took inspiration from basil-poached nectarines which were delicious a few years ago – this is no exception. The essence? Fruit poached in a spiced, herby sugar syrup. I’ve been fascinated by pawpaw – the wholesomeness of...
On an eternal quest for Nigerian desserts and a love for all things French, this was birthed. I have always wanted to bake with Agbalumo, and I’ve succeeded – I’ve made pancake puffs and leather, and now this. This isn’t the first Tarte Tatin, I’ve made – I’ve done a few with pears and ginger, both...
Genius, I thought as soon as my eyes fell upon the juicer. Still in its box after 6 months, the time was now. If you know me, you’ll know I’m crazy about sugarcane, even when it involves physical labour. So the idea of juicing it was sooooooooo welcome. Well, it took me a few minutes to get...
If you ever move house, ask me to loan my friend, Timi to you. She’s the business. And not only because she made the most amazing Nigerian fried rice for me when I first moved to Lagos…nope, not only because of that. First up, just for being there/ here. Going at my own pace and then...
This study was taken on, to find out the best way to remove the flesh of the agbalumo for preservation and processing. Typically, after a thorough washing, I press the top sides of my agbalumo around the stalk in to ‘break the fruit’. Out seeps a creamy sweet and tart juice that is rapidly licked....
Fermented foods have been part of global cuisines for many centuries when people fermented seeds and nuts by lacto-fermentation where lactic acid- a natural preservative worked to limit the effects of putrefying bacteria. Fermentation — an ancient technique that’s making a comeback — is a process that preserves food and infuses some edibles with gut-friendly...
Down with a cold? The sort that most people get on the cusp of changing seasons, from harmattan to rainy? Don’t just reach for oranges, grab some agbalumo. Agbalumo? Yes, agbalumo. Rich in ascorbic acid – hence the tartness (thanks Tipu), more so than oranges – this is your rainy season fruit. The value of ascorbic...
Snacks. For trail mix. Eating out of hand. Mixing in cookie dough. Or pie crust maybe? Bread even? I’ve always wanted to snack on Egusi seeds, as a lover of pumpkin seeds. Finally, I decided to try it and the end result is yum. Surprisingly. I think I had my mind on soup and creamy...
We aren’t doing too badly in Naija. Lots of things are being processed and packaged, and sold in stores. You can find locally canned palm nut sauce for banga soup, spice blends in bottles and jars, hibiscus leaves in packs. That soothes my soul. I’m particularly glad to find Abacha – shredded and dehydrated. Perfect...