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]
The Best Guacamole Ever
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 and a hot, green chilli one with corn tortilla chips and small tortillas for dipping and scooping. This time, P took myself and the children back and R, daughter #2, lover of all things avocado pounced on it. Let’s just say the first ‘mortarful’ was...
The Art of Maceration
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 for use, on their own or in other recipes, particularly in dried fruit For fresh fruit, it tends to draw out liquid, thus reducing the moisture content in the fruit itself. The resulting drawn out liquid tends to be syruppy and could be incorporated in...
What Not To Eat or Drink…
..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 avoid it. Yes, I know that people can get sick after eating at high end restaurants with NOMA, the world’s best restaurant, a case in point but I’d rather take a chance on an awesome meal over a ‘can-do-without-streetfood experience’. The most common culprit for food-borne...
Updated: Five (5) Nigerian Fruits You’ve Probably Never Seen or Heard Off
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. ——————————————————————————————————————— 🙂 – to be honest, most people will not be familiar with these fruits. Monkey Cola First seen – August 2011, Port Harcourt The first time I came across this fruit, I was intrigued by its crunch and taste – halfway between fresh green peas and...
Spiralize 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 to have a go at the machines, and yes they were gracefully obliged. Both machines were easy to use for small and big hands, and with a variety of vegetables. For the Plastic Spiral Vegetable slicer, the vegetable is pinned between an immoveable part and...
Four (4) Ways to Make Plantain Noodles
Plantains…versatile veggie. So much to do with it, here’s one of them – plantain noodles. First discovered in 2010 en route some plantain dessert gnocchi. And long before the spiralizer craze. Since then, I’ve explored a few other options and here are some routes to plantain noodles, in three (3) steps. This works with both ripe and unripe plantains Boil plantains I like to cook my plantains in their skin for flavour retention. To prep – wash the plantains, and leave them in their skins. Gently run a knife down one side, from top to bottom splitting the skin but not...
At Kalustyan’s: Nigerian / African Ingredients in New York
My intention wasn’t to go shopping for Nigerian/ African food in Manhattan. I stopped at Kalustyan’s because it is one of my favourite places ever in New York. It reminds me of Ozan, the Turkish Shop in The Hague – every square inch is maximised with lots of flavour and options and opportunities to learn. I love to wander the aisles, looking, reading, just taking it all in. What I find often leaves me thinking about Nigeria, and Africa. About agriculture and commerce. About extending our produce uses into products that stretch our thinking. So much to take it and ponder....
On Philly Cheese Steaks
Philadelphia is all about the cheese steak people. All about the cheese steak. I vaguely remember Philly and its signature sandwich though but I’m reminded by everyone who knows I am headed to Philly to ‘Make sure you try Philly Cheese steak’. I suspect it has cheese and steak in it but I cant muster much more by way of remembrance till we arrive in Philly. A cheesesteak, also known as a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheesesteak sandwich, cheese steak, or steak and cheese, is a sandwich made from thinly-sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long roll. A popular regional fast food, it...