My Guide to Food – Exploring and Mapping intersections between Nigerian Cuisine and Foods of the World
It’s three weeks into the start of corn season, at least in the south/west of Nigeria. Corn stands are popping up all around, decorated with the brown hard shells and white flesh of coconut. I see Asala, African Black walnut too, hawked on red-rimmed enamel trays but still no Ube, purple butter pear. Last year I explored […]
It’s the season again people, the season of and for Mangoes. The History of Mangoes The mango has been the most popular tropical fruit since 2000 BC or earlier. Of the genus Mangifera and flowering plant family, Anacardiaceae this flesh stone fruit is native to the Indian subcontinent from where it spread round the world. There are over 400 varieties of […]
This simple sauté of diced, just-ripe pawpaw and the scent leaf chili sauce is a match made in my pan. The sweet flavours of pawpaw are drawn out with the herby, edgy heat on this sauce. Did I mention it only took minutes to make? Essentially, find your pawpaw. Wash it. Peel it. Slice it. […]
Yes, Scent leaf to the rescue. Rustle up a quick chili sauce with kitchen staples. I love discovering chili and herb sauces and this Ecuadorian sauce, Aji Criollo is no exception. Serve with plantain chips, pies, rice, basically every and anything. Thank me later. Enjoy.[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Scent Leaf Chili Sauce – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
And not made by me, but by the capable staff at Rosa Mexicano at the Lincoln Centre in New York. Two years ago, I was wowwed by how beautifully composed the avocado was – prepared as you sat and watched and then had it, served with two types of salsa – a dried red chilli one […]
Or how to macerate fruit. What is Maceration? Maceration. Not to be confused with Marinating though similar. Maceration is the ‘art’ (barely) of softening fruit – fresh or dried, in liquids or sugar. Similar to marinating but subject here is fruit not meat or vegetables. Why Macerate? To soften the fruit, amplify flavours and prepare them […]
..on holiday. In the US. It started off as things I would never eat in New York but that changed when we went to Philly. For all the world, here are things I would not eat on any streets, not because they are ‘streetfoods’, but because I loathe being sick on holiday, especially if I can […]
Updated 13th September, 2016 – with new information I’ve updated this piece based on recent information and learning. I have added to what I knew previously, nothing has been changed or deleted. Thank you to all the readers who have shared and continue to share information that enables these discoveries. I appreciate it. ——————————————————————————————————————— 🙂 […]
There was never any question about if I would get a sprializer (plantains, pawpaw, etc), it always was a matter of ‘when’ and a morning at Sur La Table convinced me. We walked in to see a demo of two sorts, with a Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer and a ‘Spiralizer’. My children were soooooooo excited, begging […]
Hi. My name is Ozoz. I’m a Nigerian food explorer who’s on a quest – to find and share the sweet, sweet nectar that’s food
