There are one hundred mentions of Yam – one hundred. 100. C (Roman Numerals) in Things Fall Apart (1958) – the most widely read book in modern African literature. Written by renowned writer, the late Chinua Achebe, the novel is set in late 19th century Nigeria, pre colonisation. It follows the life of Okonkwo, a wrestling champion on a journey that touches parenthood and tradition, pride and accident, culture, history, human peculiarity and more, all this in a way that educates and entertains. I find it really endearing the way we write about food, and culture. Most importantly, it is fascinating to learn and see how writers...
Ubecamole Mackerel Sandwich
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 on heart ‘We know what’s best’. Ube, African purple pear makes a great dip that’s similar to a tangy guacamole. I’ve enjoyed it as a dip, on its own and with corn & groundnuts – its seasonal fellows. Here, I use it as a spread...
Updated: 12+ Alternative ‘Stews’ & Sauces You Can Make Without Fresh Tomatoes
…because we cannot go and die because tomatoes are outrageously expensive. Nigerians, praised for their resilience and ingenuity are currently seeking ways to do without Fresh tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes aren’t cheap for various reason but they are the bedrock upon which ‘stew’ is founded. In Nigeria, there is only one meaning of stew and that is a sauce based on the trilogy of fresh tomatoes, red onions and chilies. It does not mean any dictionary/ wiki definition of ‘a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy‘. Welcome to the world of Nigerian cuisine :). So...
Fresh & Vibrant Nigerian Salads
Looking for inspiration? Healthy? Clean? Vibrant? With Nigerian ingredients? Here are a few salads to get you on your way. They feature: seasonal produce ‘superfoods- like acha lots of fruits and vegetables Cassava & Coconut Salad Beans & Corn Salad with fresh coconut Warm Acha Salad Suya Sesame Masa Salad Plantain Imoyo Salad Plantain & Dambu Kazaa Salad Savoury Fruit Salads Green Pawpaw Salad
Ramadan Recipes
Ramadan Kareem to my Muslim friends. I’d like to share some ideas for Iftar and Suhoor – I hope they provide some inspiration this Ramadan. Your guide to eating during Ramadan Foods to break your fast Iftar Suhoor and more Desserts Sweeteners & Drinks Enjoy xxx
7 Things I learnt from the 2015 Masterchef Australia Grand Finale
Masterchef Australia will always be my favourite TV program, for the character of the judges – mentoring, nurturing, firm, truthful but kind; for the diversity of the challenges; for how much they share and teach but most of all, for the amazing contestants. It’s no secret that Australia is one of the places I’d love to live in. The cost of living might be high but the quality of produce and the culinary excellence is astounding. This last season – 7, 2015 of Masterchef has been the most inspiring and thrilling for me. I didn’t get a chance to watch...
Deconstructed: Tigernut Crumble with Mango Cream & Candied Zobo Flowers
I love to repurpose things in the kitchen – whether its turning zobo flowers into sauce after making an infusion or making a crumble with leftover tigernut chaff from making kunnu aya, the milk. It works. Rather beautifully too. Here’s what you have to do. Take your favourite crumble recipe and switch it up a bit – halve the flour and make up the rest with tigernut chaff. This recipe was inspired by Georgia – a contestant on Masterchef Australia who made a deconstructed crumble with meringues, etc. I like the idea of serving up various elements in a way that results...
Layered Dessert: Zobo & Lime Cheesecake
This cheesecake combines zobo jelly with lime cream and crushed ginger cookies. It is a rendition of a blackberry and lime cheesecake I made a few years ago which had me smitten. One thing I’ve learnt in the process of making jellies and things with gelatin is the importance of testing. A great lesson taught by my friend, Ramon. We were making jelly and he said, get a small bowl of ice lets test the mixture so we know if it needs more gelatin. See different liquids – acids, fruit juices, etc work differently with gelatin. Acids tend to lower...
Happy St Patrick’s Day
Cook up a range of treats, from a Guinness caramel to some ‘green sauce’. And hope you find the 4-leaf clover 🙂 Recipes Guinness Caramel Sauce Guinness Clover Rolls Chocolate Guinness Cake Fish & Scent leaf blinis Green chili bagels Palm wine with Guinness Arancini What are you doing today?