The things you learn when finally, you decide on going down a certain path. About that rice That yes, you know Ofada rice is fermented as part of its processing, as part of what makes it highly sought after but you do not think it stinks to the high heavens. You did not know that it had a pungence thicker, more pungent than ogiri, the smelliest thing you’ve smelled, tasted, up there with your stinkiest blue cheese. But that the smell will do nothing to the taste. Will not deter, off-put, prevent pure pleasure from being had when you’re done cooking....
7 Things You Need To Know About Ofada Rice
1. The grains are striped with burgundy. 2. It is the blanket name for almost all locally produced rice. I think it needs ‘Protected Designation of Origin‘ status, so that only rice from Ofada, or processed the way it is, is called by that name. And yes, we might need a whole legal construct around food processing in this country. You’re welcome. 3. Because actually, it is named after a place, Ofada. A small community in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area in Ogun State 4. It has a peculiar flavour & taste, something ‘umami’ish’ about it. The best I’ve eaten was...
Ube African Purple Pear: Freestone & Clingstone
That lunch time, I strolled down Campos to buy what had become a lunchtime fave – boiled corn and Ube. Unfortunately, neither was ready so I bought some raw, uncooked Ube and brought it back to my office. Where I proceeded to ‘cook’ it by steeping in hot water. And then microwaving and then back in hot water. Ten minutes had elapsed and still my Ube were rock hard. The flesh which should have softened and turned to cream under the heat of boiling water hadn’t. This would repeat itself again over the weekend when the flesh of Ube would...
5 Fried Rice Recipes For Sunday Lunch
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been dreaming about the weekend since Wednesday – how long you’ll lay in bed on Saturday morning (lies and deceit for after rising before dawn on the five days before, your body knows who is king, and just in case you still don’t get it baby, that heavy thing upon your head is no crown – its your worry about sleeping in), what you’ll buy under the bridge on your way home from work on Friday (but two hours later, through Obalende and literal go-slow, happy are you to fall into the arms of an...
The Anatomy of a Purple Pear, Ube
Ube. African Butter Pear What is it? Wikipedia described it as ‘an ellipsoidal drupe which varies in length from 4 to 12 cm.’ Known by many names from Ube (Igbo) to Safou (French), elemi (Yoruba), eben (Efik) and orumu (Benin), it appears its botanical name, Dacryodes edulis comes from the Greek word ‘dakruon‘ (a tear) and ‘edulis’ meaning edible. I love the depth of colour of the skin, and the variety. I’ve seen deep purple to dark blue fruit, with the flesh coloured in varying intensities of green, from pale to light. A cross-section The fruit, about 4 – 5 cm in diameter consists of skin,...
More on Propak & Packaging
Last Two weeks ago already, I visited the ProPak conference. I hoped to find food packaging – bottles, glass jars, etc and get contacts for other things. We – my friend and I, arrived at the venue and registered – in quite an orderly fashion. And then the walk began. Contrary to what I thought, which was limited to one end of the spectrum – the packaging – there was more foundational stuff from further up the line – production and the equipment to start up packaging lines. There were a number of companies who had machines for producing packaging, like bottle-blowing machines....
On Gifts & In Season: Custard Apples
In season – custard apple. This was a gift from my oldest daughter who has a best friend who has a grandmother with a custard apple tree in Lagos, Nigeria. Convoluted, this source? 🙂 They went on a visit and this was what they brought this back for me. This cousin to soursop. Oh my heart. That my children know the gifts to bring me, that they know what excites me, moves me gives me such joy. I’d never ever tasted this creamier, softer-fleshed cousin to soursop so it was magic. The fruit is knobbly, it resembles me of a tortoise’s shell – individual segments...
Èfó Wòròwó ati Asala
Because I can, could, did. This soup combines the nuttiness of Asala with the silken, softness of Wòròwó. The first question people ask is, isn’t it bitter? Isn’t the Asala bitter? I assure them that it is nothing but crunch and cream, Egusiesque in most of its ways. Nothing astringent, nothing offputting about using it to thicken your soup. The recipe is simple – start off by heating palm oil and adding Iru, ferment locust beans and seasoning extraordinaire… Add your ground Asala (1 – 2 cups) – I blended mine without water then stir; Add your mix of blended onions...
Question: Why is New Yam So Expensive?
Yesterday, my friend, @Shutupkecy asked me why New Yam was so expensive – a fact I had noted but rather silently. So, here we are? @Kitchnbutterfly oz why is yam now so expensive ?? can you make a blogpost about that? — Mr Dalloway (@ShutUpKecy) September 6, 2015 And then when I posted this on twitter, @bemgba said: bcos its new? 🙂 https://t.co/oy2Ozyj70q — Bemgba (@bemnyax) September 7, 2015 That made me laugh :). And truth be told, it is true in the simplest sense, because it is new! A few months ago, I purchased yams – old yams, for about N800 each....