I’m no stranger to smoked fish or to creating new things with old. Some people need to learn to deal with this :). I go on and on about The New Nigerian Kitchen because it’s really a mindset switch – we must test the boundaries of our ingredients and produce before we can say, hand...
aka Agbado yinyan. It is the season for tasty oranges, cucumbers, pineapples and pyramids of Ube, purple African pears that must be roasted on hot coals or soaked in freshly boiled water to eat. When cooked, they taste like avocado, cut through with green olives and a touch of cream. It is our rainy season...
That lunch time, I strolled down Campos to buy what had become a lunchtime fave – boiled corn and Ube. Unfortunately, neither was ready so I bought some raw, uncooked Ube and brought it back to my office. Where I proceeded to ‘cook’ it by steeping in hot water. And then microwaving and then back...
Ube. African Butter Pear What is it? Wikipedia described it as ‘an ellipsoidal drupe which varies in length from 4 to 12 cm.’ Known by many names from Ube (Igbo) to Safou (French), elemi (Yoruba), eben (Efik) and orumu (Benin), it appears its botanical name, Dacryodes edulis comes from the Greek word ‘dakruon‘ (a tear) and ‘edulis’ meaning edible. I...
Rafiat gives insight to what the state of the planet might be like if plantain goes extinct. Can’t, shouldn’t, won’t – lots to think about, hilariously too. Thank you, Rafiat – read and enjoy people. I can’t picture myself living in a world without plantain. It’s unimaginable and possibly cannot happen. Before I proceed, I’ll...
Fifty seven bites. 57. One to celebrate each year of Independence and in no particular order.The recipes, ideas, concepts embrace and celebrate Nigeria, old and new. I find my love for this country on its plate. I say you have to do whatever you need to find your connection with this place…it’s always going to...
Here are a few green-white-green recipes to set you on your merry October 1st menu way. Enjoy. Starters Deep Fried Green beans Scent Leaf Dip Ube’camole Scent leaf Blinis with fish Salads & Sides Sauteed Greens Grilled corn scent leaf coconut cream Garden Egg Salad and more Farofa Main Scent Leaf curry Pounded Yam and...
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...
Yesterday, I gave a talk on Nigerian cuisine to a group of women at the 39th Nigeria Annual International Conference & Exhibition (NAICE) in conjunction with the Society of Petroleum Engineers, holding in Lagos, Nigeria. I thoroughly enjoyed myself but I almost always do when it comes to food, don’t I? First there was a...