I read with amusement and some bemusement Jamie Oliver’s take on that West African perennial, Jollof Rice. My amusement stemmed from the many indignant comments on his website, Facebook and Twitter, mainly from my fellow Nigerians. His recipe and the photograph of the finished dish heightened my bemusement, but more on that later. The loudest…
The Basics of Nigerian Cooking
Many people (Nigerians included) feel that Nigerian food is hard to cook and takes a long time to prepare. Whilst this is true to some extent, particularly as regards the preparation, there are several ways of getting around this. Master two key basics (a good stock) and a good tomato stew (sauce) and you are…
Okro Soup
Save Print Okro Soup Okra, okro, lady’s fingers – opinion is often divided on the attractiveness of this vegetable, however it is one of the most popular soups in Nigeria. It is often one of the first soups given to weaning children as it is easy for them to swallow. It is referred to as…
Fish Pepper Soup
Save Print The technique for making fish peppersoup is slightly different from meat-based soups in that the stock is cooked before adding the fish as it cooks so quickly. Catfish is traditionally used, but any fish may be used – cod was used in this recipe. I limit the number of spices and herbs that…
Oxtail Pepper Soup
Save Print Serves: 4 This is a fairly hearty variation on the lighter, more traditional chicken or fish pepper soups. Either serve on its own as a starter, or add some boiled yam (as here) and/or plantain for a delicious main course. Perfect for cold, rainy days. Here I use a combination of commercially available peppersoup…
Pepper Soup Spices
It IS possible to get ready-prepared pepper soup mix from African stores. However, I like to use freshly ground spices in addition to/or instead of the mix. There are a myriad of spices which vary from place to place and you may want to experiment to find which suits you best. Interestingly, most of them…
Chicken Pepper Soup
Save Print Chicken Pepper Soup Serves: 6 This version of peppersoup uses freshly ground spices only. Using meat on the bone also helps to intensify the flavour of the soup. I wanted a fairly clear broth and so I skimmed the broth and and strained the spices and crayfish, using just the liquid and not…
Akara (Bean Fritters)
Save Print Akara (Vegan Version) Eaten across West Africa, akara is a popular breakfast option in Nigeria. The Hausa refer to it as Kosai. In many parts of the country, it is possible to buy it on the street in the mornings and evenings. In its purest form, it is simply a blend of peeled…
Retro Akara Brunch
At my Nigerian boarding school, we had a tradition of School Mothers and School Daughters – a type of buddy system if you like, where older girls (in the fourth and fifth form) looked after new arrivals to the school. My School Daughter, Natasha, and I have remained in touch, thirty-odd years on. It helps that our…