The New Yam festival is a harvest festival celebrated across Nigeria and many parts of Africa. When I made Ofe Nsala, my Igbo friends mentioned that this was the perfect soup to feast on in the village square during iwaji/ irijiohuru, which celebrates the start of the harvest season. I think one should praise God, the gods, the farmers and the sellers who bring sweet yam to our tables. The New Yam festival is a sign of new beginnings, one that is widely celebrated across Nigeria and indeed many parts of Africa. In my village, Igarra, where you are woken...
Passion Fruit-Cucumber-Sugarcane-Lime Cocktail
Passion Fruit – beauty and fragrance invoked here. And long overdue this is. I must confess it has all my favourite juices in a glass: the floral acidity of passion fruit the clean refreshment of cucumber juice the sweet of sugar cane and the citrus burst from lime juice. Did I mention the lightness of head from the colourless, tasteless vodka? Since forever, since Mango season, I’ve wanted to make a passion fruit cocktail and I’m glad I finally did. This drink is one you’ll need to make up to your taste. Some help? {On Passion Fruit} {Juicing sugar cane}...
Grits @ Mrs. K’s Diner, Philadelphia
No, I’m not in Philly. No, the memory of grits isn’t what has shocked me into silence these last few months. Yes, I’ve finally been to a Diner. Yes, my curiosity has been deeply aroused by Guy Fieri and his ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’. No, I haven’t done the other two but you bet I’m gonna. Soon. When we walked in Mrs. K’s, carefully selected from one of the many guide books and articles I read, there wasn’t a lot of room. I had to stand around the bar stools – where we’d opted to sit, for a little while....
Smoky Asun Jollof Rice
Because everyday is World Jollof Rice Day. And so I present you one of two recipes – Asun Jollof- I concocted during the run-up to August 22nd – the other? A smoky prawn version. Step 1 Get goat meat and season it with salt, ground onions and chilies. Step 2 Coal-smoke for the most intense, smoky flavour. {How to cold smoke} Step 3 Prepare: Cook meat in water, with seasoning – don’t worry, the smoky flavour will not go away. Promise. Chili paste – corasely grind onions and chilies without water Chop up some green bell pepper ‘Stew’ – blend a mix...
Happy ‘National Waffle Day’
…and yes, I’m celebrating the awesomeness of my waffle iron because I’m a global citizen, of America, of Nigeria, of The Netherlands, of The World who will waffle everything possible from bread to waffle batter, cake and croissants. The ancient Greeks are said to have been the first waffle bakers — they cooked flat cakes between two metal plates held over burning embers; Source In the last few weeks and months, I’ve waffle’d cake, croissants and a host of other things. All of them have been soooooooooo awesome. And so it is, in honour of National Waffle Day, I’m sharing...
In Season via Road Trips
Road trips. Just like our mothers. Just like our fathers. I can’t count how many times I’ve been on the receiving end of a parent’s travels. How we’ve heard honking horns and have welcomed them back with some measure of joy, thanking them ever so kindly for not ruining Saturday night fever by returning halfway through the weekend and grateful that Sunday has seen them return and none too early. I’ve lugged bunches of plantains, yams, pineapple and bags of oranges, snails, corn and whatever else was plentiful on expressways from boots and trunks in such quantities, you marveled. If you...
The Sacred (Food) Hollows of Olumo Rock
I have a friend who is obsessed with pounded yam. A few days ago, we were talking about plans and dreams and hopes, about the evolution of kitchen utensils as we know it, the hows and whys. He wanted to know how pounded yam became a thing, and then we moved on to mortars and pestles. It reminded me of the grinding and pounding hollows I’d seen at Olumo Rock the previous week which fascinated me. I thought these hollows, these sacred hollows were the precursors for the wooden bowl and stick we now call mortar and pestle and that’s...
Six Perfect Drinks for Jollof
I’d never really given much thought to the perfect drinks for Jollof till #Jollofgate, when I spied a bottle of ale next to Jamie’s offering. Now, I know Jonny Garrett, the deputy editor of Jamieoliver.com who worked with him on thefeature is a beer aficionado who loves pairings… (he’s @beerchannel on Twitter) To be honest, food and drink pairings aren’t something we do a lot with Nigerian food, but we should because what we drink can enhance (or not) the experience of the flavours. In this regard, one seeks for answers to the question ‘Drink pairings for spicy food’. In my opinion, spice isn’t...
Five Approved (Somewhat Essential) Sides for Jollof Rice
Thanks Nigerian Twitterverse for the contributions. Here is what we have – 5 approved sides for Jollof Rice: Meat, Dodo, Coleslaw, Moinmoin and Eggs. Per plate? Two or more of these seem like the right amount. For example – dodo and meat; meat and moinmoin; dodo and eggs. Get the drift? Minimum allowable accompaniments if ground level na two. Worst case sha, one go do. Banana, coleslaw, dodo and any peppered meat cut in teeny pieces and stewed. https://t.co/r5qbwkIHPT — Ada Akunne (@SheisBoki) August 20, 2015 And what/where to eat from :). A plate and a fork. #PureJollof Other accompaniments...