Gbegiri Soup: A Yoruba Delicacy

Gbegiri soup is a Yoruba (Western Nigerian) soup prepared with beans. On its own, it looks like baby food but it comes alive when you add Ewedu Soup and meat from your Beef & Chicken Stew.

Ingredients for Gbegiri Soup

• 150g Black Eyed or Brown Beans
• 1 small smoked Mackerel/Titus
• 1 tablespoon ground crayfish
• 1 big stock cube
• 1 cooking spoon palm oil
• Pepper and salt (to taste)

Before you cook Efo Riro

1. Ensure you have some Beef & Chicken Stew because the beef for the Gbegiri Soup comes from this stew.
2. Remove the beans coat and soak the beans for about 3 hours. This soaking makes the beans soft so that it cooks in less time. This way there will be no need to use potash to cook the beans. If you are using peeled and dried beans, you will need to soak it overnight.
3. Prepare other ingredients: pound/blitz the pepper and grind the crayfish.

Cooking Directions

1. Put the peeled and soaked beans into a sizeable pot. Pour water to cover the beans and start cooking at medium heat.
2. While the beans is cooking, prepare the Ewedu Soup which is used to eat the Gbegiri Soup.
3. Cook the beans till they become so soft that it practically melts when you mash it with your fingers. This takes about 1 hour. You will need to top up the water from time to time but make sure the water is always at the same level as the beans. This ensures that you have just the right amount of water in the soup when the beans is done.
4. Mash the very soft beans with a potato masher. You can also blend it with your kitchen blender for a very smooth consistency. I do not like pouring the hot beans into my blender then pouring it back into the pot after blending. And it is not practical to wait for the beans to cool down, blend it and then continue cooking!
5. When you are happy with the smoothness of the beans, add the smoked fish, salt, pepper, crayfish, stock cube and palm oil.
6. Cover the pot and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes or till the oil blends with the rest of the ingredients. This is when the oil changes from red to yellow.
7. Stir from time to time so it does not burn.
8. That's it! The Gbegiri Soup is done.

Dish the soup with Ewedu Soup, get the meat from your Beef & Chicken Stew and eat with Amala or any other Nigerian fufu meal.

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Gangnam-style chicken wings

Ingredients

• 8 higher-welfare chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons hot chilli sauce
• 150 ml fresh cloudy apple juice
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• 2 tablespoons sweet miso
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely grated
• 8 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• ½ a bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

Soak 8 small bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before you start cooking, to stop them from catching. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3. Cut the tips from the wings and stretch them out as much as possible, then push a skewer through the length of each wing to straighten and secure.

Add the hot chilli sauce, apple juice, honey, miso, ginger, garlic and half of the spring onions to a roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm). Mix well to combine, then transfer half the sauce to a small pan and set aside.

Place the chicken skewers into the roasting tray, turning them in the sauce to coat, then cover the tray with tin foil, making sure it's tightly sealed around the edges. Place in the hot oven for around 1 hour 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through, removing the foil for the final 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the sesame seeds and toast gently for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Set aside.

When the chicken is done, place the pan of sauce over a low heat for around 5 minutes, or until thickened to a nice consistency, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, place a griddle pan over a high heat, then add the skewers and griddle for 3 to 4 minutes, or until crisp and dark, turning halfway – you may need to do this in batches.

Transfer the wings to a serving platter, pouring over any juices from the tray. Drizzle with the sauce, then pick over the coriander leaves. Top with the remaining spring onions, fresh chilli and toasted sesame seeds.

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Ila-Asepo (Okra Soup)

Ila-asepo or okra soup is the Yoruba way of cooking okra soup. I’m not quite sure what it means literally translated, but I know it’s grated/chopped okra cooked in beef stock. Another way of cooking okra is to cook it in some water and serve with fish soup, which is then eaten with a starchy mould of your choice.

This would be my second attempt at making this. The first attempt was tasty, but I blended the okra with I guess a bit too much water and it didn’t draw as much. This time, I grated/chopped fresh okra to avoid the prior mistake.

I learned to make this from a friend of mine who makes the meanest ila-asepo. A few things I learned is not to add onions when cooking the okra as that prevents it from drawing and the entire essence of okra is the ‘draw.’

Without further ado, here’s what you’ll need to make Ila:

25-30 fresh okras
10-12 pieces tripe/ shaki
10-12 pieces goat meat
1/2 s/m red bell pepper
1/2 s/m tomato
2 scotch bonnet peppers/ habanero
1 tsp minced garlic
3 knorr cubes
3 tbsps ground red pepper
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Goya Adobo seasoning w/ cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 cup Palm Oil

1. Wash, rinse okra and set aside

2. Rinse goat meat and tripe in cool water.

3. Turn stove on to medium heat. Drain and season meats in pot w/ garlic, 2 knorr cubes, ground red pepper, crushed pepper flakes, adobo and curry powder (don’t add water here). Put on stove, let sweat for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes, add enough water to cover all the meat/tripe. Let cook for 2-3 hrs over medium heat (I like the meat really soft). Check every 45 minutes and ensure water doesn’t dry out, if it is, add 1 more cup of water till desired softness. *You want to retain at least 1-2 cups of stock after the meat is soft*.

5. While meat is cooking, grate okras using the smallest side or chop into tiny pieces with a knife. Set grated/chopped okras aside.

6. While meat is cooking, blend tomato, red bell pepper & scotch bonnet peppers. During the last 45 minutes of boiling the meat, add the blended peppers and palm oil to cook with meat. Once pepper is cooked and meat is soft, reduce heat to low.

7. Add grated/chopped okras. Stir with wooden spoon gently. Let cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes (taste at 5 min mark for seasoning, add last knorr cube if needed). Stir gently to ensure okra is spread evenly. *Some add ‘kaun’ to help it draw more (not sure what the English name is for kaun, but you could probably get it at an authentic African/Nigerian store*.

8. Remove from heat and let stand. Serve with pounded yam/ iyan, eba, amala.

Adding the blended peppers is an optional step, I just like it for that extra kick. My friend sometimes adds chopped spinach to hers, but I didn’t have any on hand, but you could if you want for a different dimension to it.

Also, if you decide to store any left overs still in the pot in the fridge, when you re-heat, don’t add water, just re-heat on low heat, water added will reduce the draw factor of the okra.

There are also different schools of thought as to whether or not to cover the soup when its cooking and um, I’m not really sure. If I recall, I covered the meat when it was boiling but not when I added the okra just so I could keep a close eye on it. Honestly, I don’t think it makes much of a difference; supposedly when you cover the pot, the okra doesn’t draw or it bubbles over furiously. However, IMO, either way is fine.

Some cook ila-asepo differently, but this is how I like to cook mine. Some prefer to blanch the palm oil (heat it till it becomes clear and starts smoking), but I’m not sure how that would translate, so I wouldn’t know what to tell you on that one. Try different ways and pick whichever works best for you. For right now, this would be it for me. In the event that I discover another way, I’ll be sure to share.

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Ojojo: A Nigerian Snack

I’m not sure what the English name would be for ‘Ojojo,’ but what I do know is that it is grated water yam to which onions and spices are added. It’s kinda like akara (fried bean cake) or mosa.

It’s pretty easy to make; the downside, it’s deep fried. Although I’m sure it can be baked as well, though it might take longer before it browns. It’s a once in blue moon snack, so indulge, will you?!

To learn how to make, here’s what you’ll need:

1 s water yam aka Puerto Rico Yam
1/2 s red onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp scotch bonnet pepper or dried red pepper
Canola oil

1. Peel skin off water yam. Cut into large chunks. Grate each chunk using the smallest side.

2. Dice onions. Add to grated yam, along with salt and pepper. Beat/mix thoroughly with your hand or wooden spoon.

3. Preheat oil in a fry pan or deep fryer. Scoop the yam mix into hot oil using your hand or tablespoon (I used my hand).

4. Let underside cook till golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and let other side cook till golden brown as well.

5. Remove and put on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve hot.

Also, once you add the salt to the yam, the consistency/ texture will change somewhat and become fluffier, just a heads up. It’s still yummy and doesn’t change the taste of the dish.

Enjoy…

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Asian Fried Rice w/ Baked Fish

I’ve been on a fish fillet high for a few weeks now and here’s just another recipe featuring more fish. I didn’t eat it for a long time, now I can’t get enough of it. It’s about to end though, I need some more texture!

Oh, and for the rice, I only called it Asian because I added soy sauce. Yes? No? Ah, whatev, that’s the recipe name and I’m sticking with it.

To replicate, here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 Knorr cubes
1 packet Soy sauce
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning
2 tbsps Canola oil

1. Preheat stove to medium heat.

2. Rinse the rice (to remove extra starch). Add rice to a pot along with 2 cups water. Let cook till firm (when you can press it between your fingers, but not fully cooked) for 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

3. In another pot, add oil and let heat for a few minutes over medium heat. Add mixed vegetables. Add seasonings (including soy sauce). Stir thoroughly. Let cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat

4. Add rice. Reduce heat. Mixed veggies thoroughly with rice. Let cook another 10 minutes till done (if needed, add more water).

Voila!

For the fish, I used the same ingredients as for the fish kebabs, minus the bell peppers and onions.

Here’s a pic of the fish before it went in the oven:

So, if you’ve ever wondered how some Chinese restaurants get their fried rice so dark, it’s been loaded up with soy sauce!

This was pretty quick to make, I was done in no time and before I started I thought it was going to take a while, but it didn’t. So, on those days you’re short on time, don’t order in, if you have these ingredients you can make it work too.

Enjoy…

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Asun: Spicy Barbecued Goat Meat

Asun is a Yoruba delicacy that you will always see in the Small Chops section at every owa mbe.

Ingredients for Asun

• 1.2kg (2.6 lbs) goat meat (cut with the skin)
• 2 habanero peppers (or to your taste)
• 1 medium onion
• 3 big stock cubes
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 cooking spoon vegetable oil
• Black pepper (optional)

To garnish

• 1 medium onion
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper

Before you make Your Peppered Gizzards

1. Cut the goat meat into big chunks. Make sure you cut the chunks with the goat skin. If the skin is not there, it won't be the real deal Asun.
2. Wash and put the goat meat chunks in a bowl.
3. Add the thyme and black pepper; crush and add the stock cubes. Feel free to add other spices and ingredients that you use to marinate meat.
4. Mix the spices and the goat meat by gently rubbing with your hands.
5. Cover the bowl with a thin film. Put in the fridge and leave to marinate for about 1 hour
6. In my opinion, marinating beef and other kinds of meat is completely optional so you can skip the marinating process and go straight to cooking the goat meat.
7. Pound or blitz the habanero (scotch bonnet) peppers and set aside.
8. Cut 1 onion into 4 big chunks.

Making the Asun

1. After about 1 hour or the number of hours you chose to marinate the goat meat, put the meat in a pot. Use a pressure cooker if you have one because goat meat is quite tough and you will save lots of gas and electricity.
2. Pour water to just half of the level of the goat meat, add the big chunks of onion and start cooking at medium heat. You do not want a lot of water because you want the water to dry up by the time the goat meat is well done.
3. When the goat meat is well done, remove the big chunks of onions and add salt to taste.
4. Increase the heat to high and stir constantly till all the remaining liquid in the pot is absorbed. You don't want to lose any flavour by pouring away the goat meat stock.
5. Lay the goat meat flat on your oven rack.
6. Grill/Broil in the oven at 180°C or 350°F till the meat is brown all over. You will need to turn them from time to time. The meat should not be dry. This takes a maximum of 15 minutes with my oven.
7. While you are grilling the meat, wash, cut and thread the green bell pepper, red bell pepper and the remaining onion on toothpicks.
8. When the meat it well grilled/broiled, heat the vegetable oil in a dry clean pot.
9. Add the pepper and the thick stock from cooking the meat (if any) and fry for a bit.
10. Add the grilled goat meat.
11. Stir very well till the pepper is evenly distributed on the goat meat. The vegetable oil ensures that this happens and gives the Asun a nice glow.
12. That's it! Serve with the threaded vegetables.

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How to cook Nigerian Jollof Rice

The Nigerian food recipe discussed here is the classic Jollof Rice. This is the most popular Nigerian rice recipe. This is why you will always see it in parties. It is quite easy to prepare if you follow the simple steps.

Ingredients

• 2 cigar cups | 500g (1.1 lbs) long grain white rice
• Tomato Stew 500 mls
• Chicken (whole chicken, drumsticks or chicken breast)
• Pepper and salt (to taste)
• 2 medium onions
• Seasoning – 3 Maggi/Knorr cubes & Thyme (2 teaspoon)

Before you cook Jollof Rice

1. Prepare the tomato stew. Visit the Tomato Stew page for details on how to do that. It is advisable to prepare tomato stew before hand and keep in the freezer. This is so that whenever you want to cook any jollof rice related dish, it is just a matter of adding it to your cooking.
2. If you will use whole chicken then wash and cut it into pieces. Cook with the seasoning and 2 bulbs of onions (chopped). The cooking time depends on the type of chicken. The rooster or cockerel cooks much faster than the hen but the hen is definitely tastier. When done, grill it in an oven. You may also fry it. This is to give it a golden look which is more presentable especially if you have guests for dinner.
3. Parboil the rice using the method detailed in parboiling rice for cooking jollof rice. Wash the parboiled rice and put in a sieve to drain.

Cooking Directions

1. Pour the chicken stock and the tomato stew into a sizeable pot and leave to boil.
2. Add the drained parboiled rice, salt and pepper to taste. The water level should be the same level of the rice. This is to ensure that all the water dries up by the time the rice is cooked.
3. Cover the pot and leave to cook on low to medium heat. This way the rice does not burn before the water dries up.

If you parboiled the rice as described at parboiling rice for cooking jollof rice, the rice should be done by the time the water is dry. Taste to confirm. If not, you will need to add more water and reduce the heat to prevent burning. Keep cooking till done.

Serve with fried plantain, Moi Moi, Nigerian salad or coleslaw.

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Get rid of body hair

How to remove unwanted bristles painlessly

  Nose

"Some hair is essential for keeping dust and other particles from irritating your nasal cavity," says Dr Jordan Josephson, sinus surgeon and author of Sinus Relief Now (Penguin). Trimming rather than plucking any stray nostril strands ensures you don't rid yourself of this vital filter while removing any hairs that are making an all-too-public bid for follicular freedom.

Neck

"Hairs on the back of your neck grow just as fast as the hair on your head, so if you only rely on your barber to trim it they tend to rub against your collar and become painfully in-grown," says Jane Lewis, leading dermatologist at the Sk:n Clinic  "When your hair is dry, lift it off your neck and shave any hair that's creeping below the hairline." Work it into your morning routine twice a week using your regular razor.

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Six ways to reduce stress with exercise

The latest research shows how breaking a sweat can relieve tension

Cycling at 75% of your max heart rate, for 20 minutes, four times a week beats boosts the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.

Northwestern University

Practise tai chi before bed. Its focus on breathing and movement helps to relieve tension.

The Mayo Clinic

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Akara Nigerian Breakfast Recipe

To make Akara, you need to first of all remove the beans coat. You should remove the coat from the beans just before you make the Akara. This means that you can't use coatless beans that has been stored in the fridge or freezer to make Akara. I tried that and the Akara just spattered everywhere in the vegetable oil.

Ingredients you need for Akara

You only need 5 ingredients to make Akara:1 cup of Beans (black-eyed or brown beans)

• 2 habanero chilli peppers
• 1 medium Onion
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable Oil for frying

Tools you will need:

• Blender
• Mortar and Pestle

Before you fry Akara

1. Remove the beans coat. Read how to remove beans coat for help on how to do that. It is important that you do not let salt come in contact with the beans you will use in making Akara till you are ready to fry it. Salt is believed to destroy the leavening property of beans. This is what prevents spattering of the beans batter during frying.
2. Then soak the beans in water for 2 hours to make it soft enough for your blender. If you will grind it using the heavy duty grinders in Nigerian markets, it will not be necessary to soak the beans for extended periods of time.
3. Cut the pepper and onions into desirable sizes.

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How to Make Nigerian Puff Puff

Nigerian Puff Puff is that spongy, deep-fried, spherical snack that originated from Nigeria. It is soft and springs back to touch, you know, like when you pinch a foam 

We leave it to our Nigerian brothers and sisters in the United States to tell you how tasty and special this Nigerian snack recipe is. Over there, it is rare to go to a party and not eat the Nigerian Puff Puff.

Making the Puff Puff recipe is both easy and complicated. Easy because the mixing is quite straight-forward and you will see proof that you are doing things right as you go along. It is only complicated when you do not follow the steps as detailed on this website.

For 250g of Puff Puff, you will need the following ingredients.

Ingredients

• 250g of Plain Flour
• 2 teaspoons of yeast (the one used in baking bread)
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Granulated Sugar to taste
• 3 pinches of salt
• Lukewarm water (for mixing)
• Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Before you make the Nigerian Puff Puff

If your yeast is the type that looks like tiny pebbles or is like paste, mix it with lukewarm water and set aside. you will add it later when you have added water to the Puff Puff mix. If your yeast is in powder form, then add it when you add the other dry ingredients to the flour (as mentioned below).

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Beer Battered Fish

This recipe needs no long talk, just go and make it then send me a feedback. That's how sure I am that you will love it.

Ingredients for Beer Battered Fish

• 500g (1.1 lbs) Fish
• One can of Beer
• 10 tablespoons plain (all purpose) flour
• Seasoning (to taste)
• 1 medium onion (for frying)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

Notes on the ingredients

1. You will not use up the whole can of beer, just enough to make the flour mixture like pancake batter.
2. The carbonation in the beer makes the batter light and crisp. The beer flavour gives the batter a nice taste which works well with the fish. I don't know how to adequately explain this because some things are better experienced than read about :)
3. You can also use sparkling/carbonated/gaseous water to achieve the light and crispy effect but be rest assured you are not getting the same taste. The salt in gaseous water may even ruin the taste.
4. The alcohol in the beer escapes during frying hence this snack is alcohol free. You can use non-alcoholic beers to be completely sure.
5. You can prepare this small chop with your favourite soft fish with soft bones such as Mackerel (Titus), Cord, Panga, Pollock etc.
6. Use your favourite seasoning. I only use stock cubes, ground cayenne pepper and salt.

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Nkwobi: Spicy Cow Foot

       
Nkwobi is a Nigerian delicacy that is usually ordered and enjoyed in exclusive restaurants.

   

Ingredients for Nkwobi

• 2kg (4.4 lbs) cow foot (cut into sizeable pieces)
• 20cl (200ml) Palm Oil

• 1 tablespoon powdered edible potash (Akanwu/Kaun/Keun)
• 1 teaspoon ground Ehu seeds(Calabash Nutmeg)
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• 2 habanero peppers(or to your taste)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 big stock cubes
• Salt (to taste)

To garnish

• 1 medium onion
• 10 Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium)

Notes about the ingredients

1. The 2kg of cow foot may sound like a lot but remember that cow foot is mostly bones so 2 people that love Nkwobi can finish that in no time.
2. Cow foot is quite tough so if you have a pressure cooker, do use it for cooking it to save time and gas/electricity. You may be able to buy calf foot which is softer and cooks in less time.
3. Ehu (Calabash Nutmeg) is a very traditional ingredient that is difficult to find outide Nigeria. If you can't buy it where you live, just prepare the Nkwobi without it. Ordinary nutmeg is not an alternative to this because they are not similar in any way. If you have friends or family in Nigeria, they will be able to buy ehu seeds and send to you, a small quantity goes a long way.
4. Potash is what makes the palm oil curdle as you will see in the video below. An alternative I know is what we call Ngu in Igbo. Ngu is even more traditional than potash so if you can't find potash, chances are that you won't be able to get Ngu either.
5. Utazi adds a nice bitter flavour to the Nkwobi. if you can't buy it where you live, use spinach (bold ones), it gives the same effect and actually tastes nice! In fact that's what I used in the video below. :)))

Before you make the Nkwobi

1. Cut the cow foot into medium chunks. Where I live, the butchers cut it for me.
2. Put the powdered potash into a bowl. Add a small quantity of water (about 4 table spoons) and stir well.
3. Pass it through a fine sieve and set the liquid aside.
4. Cut 1 onion into 4 big chunks.
5. Pound the pepper with a mortar and pestle or blitz it.
6. Grind the crayfish.
7. Crack and remove the outer shell of the ehu then grind with a dry mill eg coffee grinder.

Directions for making Nkwobi

1. Wash and put the cow foot chunks in a pot.
2. Add the stock cubes (crushed) and the chunks of onion.
3. Add a small quantity of water and start cooking at medium heat till well cooked. Add just enough water to prevent burning as you cook. There should not be any stock (water) in the pot when the meat is done.
4. While the meat is cooking, pour the palm oil into a clean dry pot.
5. Pour in the potash mixture (sieved) into the oil.
6. Stir with a wooden spatula as you pour the potash. You'll notice the palm oil begin to curdle and turn yellow.
7. Keep stiring till all the oil has turned yellow.
8. Add the ground crayfish, pepper and ehu seeds. Stir very well till they are all incorporated.
9. When the meat is done, add salt, stir and cook till all the water has dried.
10. Add the well done cow foot to the palm oil paste and stir very well with the wooden spatula.
11. Put it back on the stove/cooker and heat till the Nkwobi is piping hot, stirring all the time to make sure it does not burn.
12. To prepare the garnish, cut the onions into rings and cut the utazi into long thin slices.
13. Serve the Nkwobi in a wooden mortar as shown in the image above.
14. Add the thin slices of utazi and onion rings on top for the full effects.

Best served with chilled drinks: palm wine, beer or stout and soft drinks.

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