The seeds of the African Breadfruit Tree (Treculia africana) may either be roasted and eaten as a nutty-tasting snack, or boiled with other ingredients to make a highly nutritious pottage, eaten mostly by the Igbos. The seeds contain high levels of protein and carbohydrate, but relatively low fat and fibre.
Widely believed to be good for diabetics, initial scientific tests (Oyelola et al, 2007) indicated that it may have beneficial effects in type-1 diabetes.
Serves: 4
It is pretty easy to make, if time-consuming as ukwa (breadfruit) takes a long time to cook - it is often boiled with kaun (to speed up the process). The simplest recipes boil the ukwa in plenty of water. It is then drained, reserving the broth and then seasoned with chilli, salt, palm oil and ground crayfish. The broth is served alongside the ukwa. Personally, I prefer it as an all-in-one dish, and love the colour and crunch that lightly steamed spring greens add.
Ingredients
- 400g of ukwa, picked over, and thoroughly washed to remove grit and sand
- 1 large onion, about 160g
- 1-2 Scotch Bonnet chillies (8-16g or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 2 ehuru seeds, toasted and finely ground (optional)
- 200g cooked stockfish
- 4 tablespoons palm oil.
- 600g spring greens, coarsely chopped
- 2L water
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the ukwa to remove any residual chaff and sand and soak overnight or for at least 3 hours.
- Rinse the ukwa, put in a large pot or pressure cooker with the water and bring to a boil. Keeping it on a medium heat (and topping up with additional water if necessary) cook for 60-90 minutes until just soft.
- Liquidise the chillies, crayfish and onions with some water and add to the ukwa with the stockfish and palm oil.
- Add the ehuru and some salt to taste.
- Simmer for another 20 minutes, adding the spring greens just before serving.
Notes
Variations
- Bitterleaf, ugu or spinach may be used instead of the spring greens
- Smoked fish may also be used in addition to the stockfish
- Sweetcorn provides additional colour and a crunchy contrast to the softness of the ukwa.
- Bitterleaf, ugu or spinach may be used instead of the spring greens
- Smoked fish may also be used in addition to the stockfish
- Sweetcorn provides additional colour and a crunchy contrast to the softness of the ukwa.
