First published in 2019. Intro photo changed in 2023 to update the name of Amolili (Nigerian Date Syrup) to Amoriri (Nigerian Black Plum Syrup) It’s difficult to think of cassava as a recent import to Nigeria because much of its classic cuisine is based on the tuber in different forms. From snacks of boiled cassava...
Coming in October | Coast to Coast – From West Africa to the World
Hi friends, Its been ages. Life and work have been full, and fulfilling. I’ve been cooking, reading, sleeping, no developing as many recipes as I used to but yeah, such is life. I’m excited to share some info about a series of events in New York this October. In partnership with the Museum of Food...
West African Calas – Rice Fritters
The history of Calas, rice fritters is linked to enslaved West African women. The word itself sounds like a contraction of Akara – so ‘Kara/ Kala/ Cala. The Dictionary of American Food and Drink (click borrow at the top to view the entry) calls them a New Orleans breakfast sold by black (note enslaved) street...
Akara, with Bean Flour
And also with gram/ besan/ lentil flours or powders. Think of it this time as using flours of convenience, whatever they bean :). I first used these flours when I lived abroad, several moons ago and found it tricky sometimes to get black-eyed beans or didn’t want to expend the energy required to peel them....
Nigerian ‘Concept’ Dish: Akara Brick Toast
The perfect Saturday morning breakfast – bread and akara, only switched up in a take on a popular Japanese dish. Shibuya Honey Toast It’s also known as Japanese Honey Toast or Brick Toast (or simply called Honey Toast or Hanitoo in Japanese); Source – JW Web Magazine If you know me, you might know that...
On Beniseed [Sesame] Seeds
Because beniseed [sesame] seeds have their DNA and birthplace in Africa. In this post, I use beniseed, benne and sesame seed interchangeably – forgive me. Sesame seeds are the seeds of the tropical annual Sesamum indicum. The species has a long history of cultivation – first for its rich oil but also for wine! The English...
On Pepper Soup Spice & Finding Names
Updated 17th March 20135, with a correction for the botanical name of Gbafilo I am an explorer. The thrill of discovery is blood to my bones such that rifling – if you can call electronically paging through pdfs that – through documents about the organoplectic nature of xyz are adventure hunts for me. One of...
The Almost Complete Guide to Cassava Products
It is difficult to think of cassava as a recent import to Nigeria (and Africa) because much of its cuisine today is based on the tuber in different forms. From snacks of boiled cassava with coconut – popular street food; kpokpogari – coarse, hard biscuits of cassava fibre from which all the starch has been...
The Importance of Telling Our Own Stories
Because people will say they want to tell them and use the opportunity to perpetuate a narrative of poverty rather than one of unity, of sameness, of similarities in spite of the glaring differences. One reason why Anthony Bourdain will be missed. Terribly. For the work he did to expand our thinking and our culinary...





![55077797827_a4ca117191_o On Beniseed [Sesame] Seeds](https://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/55077797827_a4ca117191_o-scaled.jpg)


