Last weekend, I had a puff-puff party. It was the best puff-puff party I’d ever had. Been to. The only one too :). Anchored by the fact that my puff-puff game had improved considerably in a week of making it three times, and a comment J, my daughter made about said fried dough, I gathered a veritable force of ten plus ladies to feast. I love the idea of exploring one ingredient or dish, be it Agbalumo or Mango, and in this case puff-puff. And what better way to discover borders and combinations than celebrating the very thing. On the subject of...
Kitchen Hack – Dambu from Kilishi
When life gives you too much Kilishi; make Dambu. Kilishi is a sun-dried product of, by early Fulani, Hausa tribesmen, created as a means of preserving meat in the absence of refrigeration. All because once upon a day, I craved Dambu Nama but had only Kilishi. And my food processor. And my A game, obviously. Are you familiar with Dambu? Of meat, chicken, fish…but spiced, boiled, shredded and deep fried. The result is cotton candy of meat which swells as you chew. Now Kilishi is made in a different way, being pounded and then sun dried…but still, shredding in the...
How to Make Drying Racks
Ages ago, I used to make handmade paper. In my mum’s blender in our backyard in Warri. The same blender that pureed our tomatoes and onions for stew. The very same one. When my children were old enough to learn about recycling, we made screens for scooping and drying our sheets of pink and lilac paper, formed from soaked offcuts of red and white card, purple and blue and other shades. Recently, I discovered the racks double very well as ‘drying racks’. Ordinarily, I would have used cheesecloth to cover things when I put them out in the sun but...
Grilled Burrata – Meyer Lemon Flatbread
Who would have thought I had so many Meyer lemons in my possession and was this quiet. Remember when? Remember when I talked non-stop about Meyer lemons for weeks and months, totally smitten. Well, there, goes to show. From New York and Wholefoods I brought back a dozen lemons. For the last month, they’ve turned orange in the crisper drawer as I’ve twiddled my thumbs and wondered what exactly to do with them. Till, in my daily or is it weekly email from Bon Apetit which I always have a quick look at, was this recipe for Grilled Naan with...
In Season: Pepperfruit
Its been two weeks or three even since I spotted pepperfruit, ‘shaded’ in small piles of green and red, set on the corner of a busy street on the Marina. The Lagos Marina. I’m heading to a buka lunch with my besto, D who is visiting from Port Harcourt. I spot this ‘mama’, seated on a low stool in front of the most beautiful church in Lagos – The Cathedral Church of Christ with its grey and light and architecture from the 19th century. Pepperfruit, one of my favourite ‘fruits’ ever for its scent and juice. I knew it was...
Mangoes with Chili Salt
I love mangoes and their varied character. To me, the mango is itself in so many ways – sweet and sour and tart. Just like it’s seed. Gnawing on one, I often find myself licking the core of a mango with a puzzled look as I navigate the compass of flavours, flossing my teeth on fibres that look the same yet aren’t. Some are rich and sweet, not in a toothaching manner but blossomy, pleasant. And then there’s sour. So sour my tongue recoils. Before we hit tart. Sharp. Fresh. Awakening. I like that the mango is celebrated in so...
Skying: Bottle in the Air
I’m amazed how children of every generation – mine, yours, theirs are the same. A few weeks ago, I noticed my children drinking water from bottles raised high above their mouths and I laughed…’germ-free’ sharing right? I told them it was something I did growing up. In fact, till I became an adult. When I was young, I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone sharing my cutlery or drinking ‘utensils’. Everytime someone dipped their hands in my food or quickly had a drink, I ended the eating or drinking there. I was so disgusted by the exchange of bodily...
Vegan: Coconut Condensed Milk
Ever since I made the most delicious thing…do I say that about everything? No, I don’t. You think I do? Well, I don’t. For the record, I only say it about things that are absolutely mind-blowing, like the scent leaf dip and curry which continues to turn heads and blow minds and titillate palates. And yes, titillate is an actual word. Meaning to arouse, to interest with mild excitement, especially through… And though I don’t mean this in any sort of sexual way, this rocks your palate in so many ways. It is visually stunning – bright green and vibrant,...
Episode 1 on ‘The Spot’: Moi, Cooking on TV
My food dreams are not that many. Write a cookbook. Cook on TV. Open The Culinary Institute of Nigeria. And so on and so forth. Just a handful. I have to say that quite a few are coming true and I’m grateful for that. Back in February, I went to Calabar in the south of Nigeria as a guest of Ebony Life TV on a lifestyle program, The Spot. I have to confess that it was the up there, right up there with TedXPortHarcourt. First up, the set is beautiful – very contemporary African decor. The crew and presenters were so...