FOOD

The Ultimate Nigerian Stir-fry

This Nigerian Stir-fry recipe was developed by our very own 9jafoodie. It is such a tasty main dish, side dish, sauce, whatever you choose to call it, it will answer! Keep reading to see why this deserves to be called the National Stirfry of Nigeria.

Ingredients

Please note that I made a few substitutions to recipe. I also added my own favourite ingredients.

• 1 kg Nigerian Meats
• Shaki (cow tripe)
• Heart
• Gizzard
• 1 Ripe Plantain
• 3 coloured peppers
• 1 green
• 1 red
• 1 yellow
• 4 big mushrooms
• 2 onions (1 should be red onion)
• 3 teaspoons suya pepper (or to your taste)
• 1 teaspoon Nigerian curry powder
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 big stock cube
• 1 cooking spoon vegetable oil
• Salt (to taste)

Notes on the ingredients

1. For a low carb version, skip the ripe plantains.
2. Feel free to use your favourite parts of beef when preparing the Nigerian Stir-fry. Other meats can be included too especially meats that have a rubbery texture. Do check the original recipe for more meat ideas.
3. Use ripe but firm plantains for this meal.
4. I used Italian coloured recipes. These look like Nigerian Tatashe peppers but they are not spicy. You can also use bell peppers (also known as Salad Pepper in Nigeria).
5. The job of the red onion is to add colour to the stir-fry. If you cannot buy it where you live, use any onion.
6. Nigerian curry powder is not the Indian curry powder. Popular brands include Ducros and Lion. You can buy it from Nigerian markets and African food shops all over the world.

Before you prepare the Nigerian Stir-fry

1. Rinse and slice up the vegetables, 1 onion (preferably red onion for colour), plantain, mushroom and meats as shown below. Click each image to enlarge.
2. Cut the other onion into 4 chunks.

    

Stir-fry Directions

1. Cook the meats with the stock cube, the chunks of onion and as small quantity of water as possible, starting with the toughest meat. So cook the shaki for some time then add the heart and gizzards and cook till done.
2. When the meats are cooked, separate from the stock/broth and set aside. Use the stock to mix the suya pepper thyme and curry powder. You can also use water. The quantity of the stock/broth or water you will use for the mixing depends on how much sauce you want in the stir-fry. To play it safe, mix the aforementioned ingredients with as little liquid as possible then add more liquid during the frying.
3. Deep-fry the plantains till golden and set aside.
4. Pour the vegetable oil into a pan, pot or wok and once it heats up, add the cooked meats and fry till they start to brown like shown in the video below. If you are using a shallow frying pan, you will need to fry the ingredients in several batches. In that case, divide the oil and other ingredients accordingly.
5. Once the meats start to brown, add the mushroom and onions and fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add the coloured peppers and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add the suya pepper, curry powder and thyme mix and stir very well. Add more stock at this time if you wish.
8. Finally, add the fried plantains and stir very well.
9. That's it!

The Ultimate Nigerian Stir-fry is a meal in its own right but you can serve it with Boiled Rice, Boiled Yam or Dan Wake.

Plantain Omelette

---

 
Plantain Omelette gives you the chance to enjoy an exotic breakfast of omelette with fried plantains in one dish.

Plantain Omelette Ingredients

• 1 ripe plantain
• 2 eggs
• 1 frankfurter (Satis)
• ½ a tomato
• ½ an onion
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons green peas
• A few leaves leafy vegetables
• Vegetable oil
• Habanero pepper (optional)

More information about the ingredients

1. For best results, use ripe but firm plantains.
2. These leafy vegetables work well with this recipe: Ugu, Spinach and Scent leaves.

Before you prepare Plantain Pie

1. Peel and slice the plantain into thin discs (see video). Fry till golden and set aside.
2. Slice the onions, habanero pepper (if using it) and the leafy vegetables. Cut the frankfurter and tomato into small pieces. See the video to see how I cut mine.
3. Break the eggs, beat, add the salt and mix very well.

Directions

1. Fry the onions in a small quantity of vegetable oil for 1 minute.
2. Add the tomato, frankfurters and green peas and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the result into the egg, add the sliced leaf vegetables and stir.
4. Heat a small quantity of vegetable oil and pour the egg mix from step 3 into the pan such that the mix is well spread out to cover the pan.
5. Reduce the heat to very low and once the edge of the omelette cakes, lay the fried plantains flat on the omelette to cover it.
6. Shake your frying pan from time to time and once the plantain omelette cakes all over, gently transfer it to a flat plate, see video.

Slice up like pizza and enjoy with other breakfast dishes.

Gizdodo

Gizdodo is the perfect way to combine a few farm fresh ingredients with great results. You can't believe the number of ingredients in this single meal. Yummy!

Ingredients for Gizdodo

• 3 ripe plantains
• 300g (10.5 oz) gizzards
• 200g (7 oz) mushrooms
• 1 green bell pepper
• 5 plum tomatoes (tomato Jos)
• 2 big stock cubes
• 1 big onion
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• Pepper & salt (to taste)
• 1 cooking spoon vegetable oil
• More vegetable oil (for frying the plantains)

Note:

You can use beef instead of gizzards but then it won't be Gizdodo, it will be BeefDodo ... lol

See the video below for details of how to make Gizdodo.

Basmati Jollof Rice is bae to those who know it If you've never it then you need to quickly do so before 2017 comes to a halt! Here's Basmati Jollof Rice like you've never seen it, the easiest recipe yet. 

Get The Recipe For Spinach & Chicken Stir Fry

Don't you just love creative food?

Today, Chef Lola's Kitchen is teaching us how to prepare spinach and chicken stir- fry. This can be added to rice or any side of your choice for a healthy, balanced meal – perfect for lunch or dinner.

This Efo Riro Recipe Is What You Need To Impress Your Yoruba In-laws!

Efo Riro is a popular Soup from the western part of Nigeria, if you're looking for the best Efo Riro recipe on the internet, look no further! This comes right in time for the festive period so press play!

Apart from exercise, some foods can help you maintain the right weight. This is because they help burn fat, which is a big reason to stock up your kitchen with them. Here are 7 of them:

1. Ginger: Ginger has been used for centuries to help reduce digestive upset. Ginger also helps reduce inflammation, boost blood flow to muscles, and aid muscle recovery. It has also been shown to boost calorie burn when eaten.

2. Oatmeal: This keeps sugar and insulin level low, so fat burning can stay high.

3. Avocado: The monounsaturated fats in avocados are burned readily for fuel during exercise and actually engage fat burning. Avocados also contain mannoheptulose, a sugar that actually blunts insulin increase and enhances calcium absorption. Both which are critical for fat loss.

4. Soybeans: These are the direct origin of soy protein which has been shown to build muscle. Soy has also been shown to aid fat loss. Possibly by decreasing appetite and calorie intake.

5. Water: This may just be your best ally in fighting body fat. Studies have shown that drinking two cups of cold water can boost metabolic rate by 30%!

6. Grapefruit: Grapefruits have an ability to reduce insulin levels, and a chemical found in grapefruits known as naringin prevents fat from being stored in the body.

7.Olive oil: this is also a great source of monounsaturated fats. They lower levels of cholesterol and improve cardiovascular health.

Can You Cook Stew For Less Than N1000 In A Recession?

Since the current recession hit Nigeria like a tonne of bricks, prices of EVERYTHING have been skyrocketing but the one thing that every single Nigerian has definitely noticed is how the current economic climate has impacted the price of food in the market.

Now…If it was just food, we could manage. After all, we are a nation of survivors but it’s EVERYTHING.

You want to buy tomatoes and pepper? Fine but if you want the seller to grind them for you, you must pay extra. Why? Because the price of oil for the grinding machine has increased.

So BattaBox sent their presenter Adeola to Ketu Market – Her mission? To see if she could buy the ingredients she need to cook rice and stew for under 1000 Naira like she used to before ‘change’ occurred and let’s just say the task wasn’t as simple as she thought it would be.

Watch the Video.

Onion no longer cost 50 Naira, one carton of fish a seller bought for 12,000 is now 30,000 Naira and rice which is now 20,000 Naira was 12,000 before ‘change’.

BREAD, BREAKFAST

NIGERIAN FIERY TOAST

If you are one of those people who do not like eating bread breakfast because it lacks spice, you definitely will enjoy this. It is spicy bread hence I named it Fiery toast. It is a blend of peppers and really enjoyable if you love some spiciness. Hell yes! I love some spice in my life! Damnnnn!

Now let’s cook something!

I got me some Agege-like bread, then cut them into slices.

In a pre-heated pan, I added a little olive oil.

Poured in the onion slices and pepper. Sprinkled some salt and stir fried for a few minutes.

PS: I love to caramelize my onions for this recipe but for those who do not have the time to, follow the process above.

By caramelizing onion, I pour olive oil in a pan, add the onions and allow it to cook slowly over low heat for up to 45 minutes, slowly releasing it’s natural sweetness.

When done, set the pan aside.

In a bowl, which will serve as your egg bath, break some eggs into it and beat. Add some black pepper, cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt and whisk nicely. Good!

Slice sausages into strips then quickly fry in a pan for a few minutes. We will add it to the toast. You can use bacon or some luncheon meat if you wish.

Now dunk the bread on both sides in the egg bath.

Place the bread on a slab and assemble, adding the onions, fried peppers and sausages.

Pick up another slice of bread and also dunk on both sides in the egg bath. Place it on top. Then transfer it into a clean heated pan, thinly greased with butter, margarine, vegetable or olive oil (according to your choice). I used salted butter. I just love the yumminess of butter and it’s flavour

Fry on both sides, pressing it with a slotted spoon so that the heat can cook the insides. Cut diagonally into triangles.

Taadaa!!! Serve immediately.

GESCHNETZELTES CREAMY SAUCE

Geschnetzeltes is a German recipe

This is a very easy recipe to prepare and you will find the ingredients available around you.

Ingredients:

2-3 Chicken breasts (Shredded)
1/2 Medium size onion
1-2 tins of coconut cream
1 cooking spoon of vegetable/olive oil
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 seasoning cubes
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of salt

Preparation:

* In a hot saucepan pour in the vegetable/olive oil
* Then add the shredded chicken breasts and sliced onions

* Follow up with the seasoning cubes and salt

* Stir-fry until the juice runs out of the chicken

* Cover saucepan with the lid and allow to cook until the meat is tender

* Then after, stir in the curry powder, followed by the coconut cream

* Cook for 5 minutes, while continuously stirring. Add sugar and reduce heat to minimum to avoid burning. Leave for another 2 minutes.

Your Geschnetzeltes don done O!

Serve with rice or fried chips.

NB: To make your sauce thicker, you can sprinkle in some flour.

OWOH SOUP

Owoh soup is one of the most cherished soups of the Itsekiris, Isokohs and Urhobos of Delta state. It is mostly cooked during festive seasons…especially when giving out a daughter’s hand in marriage. A marriage ceremony without this soup is questionable. This is the soup most guests look forward to as most modern homes hardly cook it.

I can boldly tell you that more than 70% of the ladies from the tribes mentioned above shy away from preparing this soup. It can make or break you as a correct delta cook but I am here to make it easy for you 

Now let’s cook!`

Cook your meat with just salt and seasoning cubes. No onion, curry, thyme etc pleeeeeeease. Doing this will spoil your soup. Stick to just salt and seasoning cubes.

In a clean pot, pour about 1.5 litres of water. Set the pot over heat and sieve 3 handfuls of yellow garri (only yellow garri please) into the pot while stirring with a wooden spatula.

Stir until it is boiling and looks silky. You can add a little table salt and seasoning cubes.

Now add the cooked meat and stock to the pot containing the silky garri mix. Some driedpepper, crayfish and urheri. Leave to cook for a few minutes. See what Urheri looks like here. Make sure to flatten the urheri with something heavy (kitchen mallet, pestle, grinding stone etc.) then take out the seeds and rinse them before using.



Pour the periwinkles into the pot if using. The Itekiris love their periwinkles but the Isokohs/Urhobos like theirs plain.



Some dried fish, blend in, turn down the heat and allow to boil.



While the soup is left boiling, pound some native salt into powder. We will use about a teaspoon. Click to see The Difference between Akaun and White Native Salt.

In a clean bowl, pour in the teaspoon of native salt.2 handful of starch and 2 cooking spoons of native palm oil. I used the very thick part at the bottom of my oil gallon as I could not find the Urhobo native palm oil. The Urhobo native palm oil takes this soup to another level. The colour is sharper and yum. :-). Add a cup of warm water and blend it all together until it flows freely.

Now pour the mixture into the boiling pot and stir quickly with the wooden spatula. Stop pouring the mixture once it gets to your desired thickness. If you made it too thick, add some warm water to loosen it up. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.



Ahhhhhh! Babes oya make una come fan me with fan. Clean my sweat with handkerchief too.  I don save una o!  If your hubby or boo praises you, use style style come and praise me too o!  Allow to blend in nicely over flame for a few more minutes and your soup is ready. Turn off the heat, let it rest or a while, stir once more and serve

BANGA SOUP (THE ITSEKIRI WAY).

Banga soup is the Itsekiri woman’s “Egbele koko miyo” meaning “A cock can never reject maize seeds”. As a proud Itsekiri woman, let me show you how to cook it our way and your man will always come back for more. Being riverine natives we use fresh fish for this delicacy but the Itsekiri woman can put a twist to any pot of soup using variety of proteins. Honestly, that is where the secret lies.The Itsekiris call this soup Obienye 

Ready? Let’s do it!

Ingredients:

2 big derica cups of banga (palm nuts)
1 milk cup of periwinkle (optional)
Dried pepper (as spicy as you want it)
1 medium sized onion
1 teaspoon of blended Ataiko
1 teaspoon of blended Irugeje
1 tablespoon of beletete
2 tablespoons of blended dried crayfish (add more if you wish)
1 medium sized smoked fish
1 medium sized bush meat (Choice meat)
Assorted meat (Abodi, shaki, roundabout, ponmo)
4 Seasoning cubes of your choice (for cooking the assorted meat separately and for the main pot of soup)Salt to taste.

Preparation:

* Wash and boil palm nuts in a pot – 45mins or till cooked
* When cooked, with a pestle, pound properly to loosen the skin off the nuts.
* Extract oil with some water and run through a sieve.
* Repeat process until you get the oil out and set aside.

* In another pot, wash and cook your assorted meat. Adding the sliced onion, 2 seasoning cubes of your choice and some salt to taste. Cut and taste bits of the meat until you get your required softness (some like theirs fairly cooked and others very cooked). Set aside.

* In a bowl of warm water, wash the bush meat and smoked fish with some salt to loosen off the dirt. Rinse properly,cut to size and set aside.

* Clean the de-shelled periwinkle by taking off the black scaly point on it, rinse properly and set aside. NOW * Pour the palm nut oil into a pot and set on your lit stove/cooker

* Allow to boil for 10 minutes, then add the blended ataiko and irugeje and boil
* Add the bush meat and periwinkle. Cook for 3 minutes
* Add the assorted meat cook for 2 minutes
* Then add the pepper, crayfish, 2 seasoning cubes and salt to taste and allow to cook until everything blends in
* Finally, add the beletete leaves and cook until the soup thickens a bit.

Banga Soup

Serve with Starch, Poundo yam, Semo, Eba or Wheat meal.

*** The Itsekiris steam up the soup in a native earthen pot before serving.
*** You can find the herbs and spices required in your local Nigerian market.
*** For diaspora, you can substitute with canned palm oil and banga soup spice mixes in your African markets.
Enjoy!