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...
I imagined it would be nice. And it was. Is. And mostly from Agbalumo puree. Agbalumo puree cooked with egg yolks and butter to make a sweet, breakfast/ bread spread. It takes on the colour of caramel and the lushness of recipes with cooked egg yolks – rich and smooth on the tongue. So yes,...
I have a dream, that one day, Nigerian cuisine will be spoken about, for its richness and diversity. That one day, the world will know that there’s more to our food than ‘pepper’ and ‘swallow’. I intend to play a small role in making that happen, so help me Lord. For a while now, my...
With the remains from the vinegar episode, I decided to make an ‘infusion’. This drink is a classic case of using up leftovers and doing something I’ve wanted to do for ages – make a drink of Agbalumo. The seeds and skin were tossed into pot. I tried to think of what spices would go well...
Over the holidays, I got so many vinegars to add to my growing collection. I now have bottles of Mango, Lime, Palm, Cane Sugar, Champagne, Sherry and others…so much so I’m beginning to think of setting up a rack. The mango vinegar inspired me to try a version with Agbalumo. My thinking is that some...