I grew up eating yam and pepper soup, or plantain and pepper soup. That was and is one of my mom’s favourite meals ever. Well, that and my peanut butter chicken sauce with Chinese fried rice or noodles. Then in 2001, I went to Youth Service camp in Bayelsa. One afternoon, my friend took me...
A night-time conversation with D, my 6-year old has brought me here, to this point where I am writing an open letter to the world. To those who think Nigerian cuisine is no more than pepper. And I am not really on the offensive. Or defensive. I’m just in plain agreement as to how we...
Nigeria, we hail thee, Our own dear native land, Though tribe and tongue may differ, In brotherhood we stand, ….. Nigeria may be blessed. Nigeria We Hail Thee (1960) by Lillian Jean Williams In Jesus name, Amen.
The Concept This concept is all about reinventing peppersoup – taking it from warm and comforting to refined and clean. It’s about combining the popular sides of yam in this spicy broth with flaked fish and using the skin of the dried fish as a vehicle for flavour and texture in a cannelloni. How to make...
It is the season of rain, of corn and ube, of Ose Nsukka and green tatashe, of green rodo. It is the season of mud and wetness underfoot, of spicy broths and blankets, long naps on the couch, tall pots of tea, fiery stews chock full of salapore and yoyo – small, transparent fish; river...
Though dark green is more appropriate a colour but who are we to blame for naming our foods. Who are we to blame for pepper soup? And other names? Anyway, don’t you dare let the name put you off this absolutely, good-for-you deliciousness that is Edo Black soup with all the nutritional goodness of bitter...
This is about Yemisi Aribisala and her brilliant book – Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading. I’ve also had the great pleasure of asking Yemisi some questions – which she graciously answers. I first ‘met’ Yemisi in 2010, 2011 – online, in the words she penned in FOOD MATTERS on 234NEXT....
Yes, a soup made from the African walnut, known as Asala in Yoruba. Because the beautiful crunch and divine nuttiness must be experienced in one lifetime. The first time I used Asala in a recipe, it was a dip I made – a variation of my scent leaf one. It was beautiful. The characteristic bitterness...
You can take any combination of grains/ legumes and vegetables to cook up an amazing soup. Well, almost any. As long as you have the basics right, you can slay every single time. Using meat? Brown it first. Start off with whatever ‘meat’ you’d like, cut in small chunks. I like to make my soup...