It wasn’t till I was an adult that I realised we didn’t have a class of ‘Nigerian desserts’. Growing up, desserts in their elaborate western form weren’t our thing. We kept it simple and fresh. Mostly. We had fresh fruit salads and cakes, Ice cream and jelly and that was mostly it. It was enough...
This would be Nigerian pesto if there ever was such a thing. Take scent leaves and coconut and aromatics, season and combine with crushed, toasted egusi seeds. Have it with abacha. Think of that as the pasta of our nation :). Add some fish. And you’re good to go. I’ve been thinking of ingredients which could...
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...
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...
Eat the rainbow, soft and sweet. And all it involves is a simple wash, cut, slice and dice. Sauteed peppers are amazing. Cooked low and slow, they transform into soft and juicy nuggets of flavour, simply cooked in olive oil and salt. After making this 3 times in one week, I know we’re hooked and it’ll become one...
And on and on and on – Part 2 of the Baked Garri-crusted Garden Eggs. It involves a bake. Ideally, I would have like this to feature the baked garden eggs, a spicy sauce and Wara, locally produced cheese. Well, though I didn’t meet the ultimate test in my head, the end result was pretty...
I am fascinated by how ideas come, how they’re created – so many elements, some seemingly random, yet they come together to test concepts, fuse thoughts and generally do something ‘new’. Like with garden eggs. I think I like the whole exploration, the journey, the process of building, of constructing, of putting together. I like...
I love salads. What a lame beginning. I’m unsure of myself here. Today. On my own blog. I can’t believe its been three months since I was here last. Sigh, life is happening even as we speak. And still, I love salads. And I’m here. Showing up on the page. Talking about the wonders...
Connectedness. The thing that fascinates me the most in life. If I had to narrow down the things I find fascinating. This would be one of them. Connectedness – of people, places and things. Brazil. Nigeria. Connected. By slavery and freedom. In culture and cuisine. Like Carnivals. Connected, with thick tropical rainforests and love for football. Connected in...