7 FOODS TO WET YOUR APPETITE WITH THIS WEEKEND

The body needs some taking care of, after the whole hustle and bustle of the week. The weekend is when we get to cook special delicacies; the ‘busy-ness’ of the week does not afford us the opportunity of cooking special dishes, but rather, we are limited to some simple dishes like rice, yam, fried egg and bread, noodles, spaghetti and so on.
You need a break from all these weekdays routine; relax and explore the deliciousness of African meals.

1.GARRI FOTOR WITH SARDINE:

Garri is one of the most common food available to West Africans, especially Nigerians. Garri fotor is prepared by mixing garri with sauce; it is a fast recipe. it is similar to couscous.
Garri Fotor is not really popular in Nigeria but in Ghana. This delicious dish is called “garri jollof.”
INGREDIENTS

1 and half cup of Garri
3 tablespoons Palm oil/Other vegetable oil
2 Onions sliced
2 Garlic chopped
1/2 teaspoon Ginger powder
1 teaspoon Mild curry powder
2 tablespoons Tomato puree
1 teaspoon Pepper flakes/powder
1/2 cup Stock
1 can Sardine
2 handfuls Spinach chopped
Salt to taste
2 Tomatoes chopped for garnish

DIRECTION

1.Take the sardines out of the can and break into chunks. Keep aside

2.Mix the tomato puree and pepper flakes in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons water to form a paste.

3.Heat the oil in a pan, then pour in the onions.

4.Fry the onions until translucent.

5.Add garlic, curry powder and ginger.

6.Allow to cook for about 30 secs before adding the tomato puree and pepper paste.

7.Add the stock and the sardine chunks.

8.Add some salt to taste, cover the pan and allow to simmer for about 15 mins.

9.Remove from heat and stir in the chopped spinach.

Allow to cool.

10.While the sauce is cooling, add some water to the garri to make it moist. Add enough water to make it slightly damp, not soggy.

11.Pour the sauce into the moist garri and mix thoroughly.

Serve with the chopped tomatoes

2.EKPANG NKUKWO:

It is native to the Efiks and it is super delicious.

DIRECTION
1. Peel the water yam and cocoyam. Wash them thoroughly and cut into chunks
With a hand grater, grate the both together.
2.Once done, mix them thoroughly together with a wooden spoon and then add some seasoning cubes and salt. Mix the paste again to ensure it goes round.
3.Wash and cut either the ugwu leaves or green leaves.
4.Begin to wrap the paste in the leaves in tiny bits (this may take about an hour or more)
The ekpang is wrapped directly into the pot that you intend to cook with
5.Wash and steam your meat. Once it’s done, pour them into the wrapped ekpang.
6.Add the already cut perewinkles, kpomo, dry fish, salt, seasoning cubes, crayfish, and pepper, then set the pot aside.
7.Boil some water and ensure you bring it to boiling point and then pour it into the pot of ekpang, cover it and put it on fire (PLEASE DO NOT STIR)
8.Allow the ekpang to cook for about 30 minutes before you stir. Cover it again and still allow it cook
9.Keep stirring until you’re sure it is well cooked. You can add some more water if it looks too dry.
10.Once you’re sure it is well cooked, add some palm oil and the sliced curry leaves
Your ekpang dish is ready. Bring it down and enjoy this African goodness.

3.YAMARITA:

This meal is an absolute delight. Yamarita is plain boiled yam that is coated in egg, flour, ginger, garlic and salt. It is an easy to make Hausa food which will only take 45 minutes. You cab serve this delicacy with egg sauce but I love taking it with ketchup more.
INGREDIENTS
1kg Yam
3 eggs
2 spoons of flour.
Vegetable Oil (300ml).
1 Teaspoon of ginger.
1 Teaspoon of garlic.
1 teaspoon of ground pepper.
1 cube of knorr.
Pinch of salt.

DIRECTION
1.Peel off the back of the yam, slice it to any shape and boil for 15 minutes or till you get the desired softness. Drain and allow it to cool.
2.Mix all the spices in a bowl(ginger, garlic, pepper, knorr cube and salt)and whisk in the three eggs. Whisk all properly together and immerse the boiled yam in it.
Set your frying pan on the heat and add just 300ml of vegetable oil. Allow to heat for about 1 minute.
Immerse the boiled yam in your spiced barter and flip. Drop into the hot oil and fry.
3.Fry and flip, don’t allow to burn. You can use a spoon to apply more of the spiced bartar while it fries. I like it heavily coated.
Then serve with your favorite sauce and juice. Grilled fish or chicken is a welcome addition.

4.TUWO SHINKAFA

Also known as rice fufu. It is a Northern Nigerian fufu recipe that is prepared with local rice which becomes sticky when cooked. it is usually served with Gbegiri in the western parts of Nigeria.
INGREDIENTS
Short/Medium rice
Water
DIRECTION
Note: Rinse the rice in cold water and put in a sizeable pot
1.Pour just enough water to cover the rice and start cooking at medium heat.
2.When the first dose of water dries up, check the rice by mashing it between your fingers. If the rice grains have even a tiny resistance when you press them, then it needs to be cooked some more.
3.Reduce the heat to low, add a little bit more water and continue cooking till the water dries.
4.Repeat the process till the rice is so soft that it melts when you press on it.
5.Once you’re happy, mash the rice with a wooden spatula by moving the rice in small quantities from the far end of the pot to your side of the pot.
6.Fold the mound of tuwo and repeat till all the rice grains have turned into a mass of tuwo.
7.Cover and leave it to steam for about 2 minutes.
8.Mix thoroughly and dish serving quantities onto a thin plastic film and wrap them up. This wrapping prevents the tuwo from drying up.
Serve Tuwo Shinkafa with any Nigerian soup of your choice.

5.ADALU

One of the meals that should be tried out this corn season is Beans and Corn, known as Adalu in Yoruba.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups brown beans
3 cups fresh corn
2-3 cooking spoons red palm oil
2 red onions
2 tablespoons ground crayfish
2 small seasoning cubes
Peppers (to your taste)
Salt (to your taste)

DIRECTION
1.Rinse the beans a few times till the water runs clear.
2.Put in a pot, pour water to cover it and start cooking on medium heat.
3.After about 7 minutes, pour the beans in a sieve and rinse with cool water.
4.Put back in the pot, add onions (chopped), pour water to cover it and continue cooking.
5.Remove the corn kernels from the cob, rinse and put in a sieve to drain.
6.Chop the peppers.
7.When the beans is soft, add the corn and palm oil and continue cooking.
8.After about 7 minutes, add the peppers and salt. Once it simmers again, it’s done.

6.YAM FRITTERS

Yam fritters, also known as Ojojo, is a traditional Nigerian finger food made from grated Water yam(Isu Ewura). Ojojo can take the place of akara and can be served with pap, garri or oat.
INGREDIENTS
Half tuber water yam
Vegetable Oil for Frying
1/2 Scotch Bonnet ( Atarodo)
1/2 Medium Size Onion
2 Tablespoons Ground Crayfish
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Knorr Chicken Cube or any Boullon a Cube you prefer
Salt to taste
DIRECTION
1.Slice and peel and cut the water yam into chucks, then grate using the smallest part of your grater. Alternatively , you can blend using the pulse setting on your blender or food processor, but be careful not to over blend as this will interfere with the texture of the batter. It’s safer to grate manually to be honest…
2.Add the Crayfish, sliced Onions, Minced Garlic, Scotch Bonnet, Knorr cube and Salt to taste. Combine thoroughly, do not over mix and do not add Water…
3.Place a deep saucepan on a hob on medium heat, add enough oil to deep fry the batter. Ojojo has to be deep fried in order to achieve the signature round shape. When it’s hot, scoop the batter into the hot oil in small dollops fry on both sides till golden brown. If you use enough oil, you won’t need to flip them over, they’ll fry on both sides on their own However, if you do need to turn, make sure the side up is golden brown on the sides before turning, otherwise they’ll scatter when turned.

Ojojo soaks in oil, so it’s advisable to transfer fried Ojojo onto a paper towel lined plate or squeeze out the excess oil….
And it’s done! Serve hot and enjoy on its own or served with Hot Pap, Soaked Garri, Custard or Oatmeal

7. COCONUT FRIED RICE

Ingredients
3 cups of rice
2 cups/ 500ml coconut milk
1cup raw diced chicken(preferably thigh fillet)
1/2 cup baby prawns
2 tablespoon Coconut oil and 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chicken stock( if you haven’t got any, water will do)
1 large carrot chopped
1/2 small green and red pepper chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup sweet corn
1/2 small chopped yellow onion
1/2 small size red onion (you can use just one type of onion, I like yellow for taste and red cos the colour stands out in fried rice)
1/4 cup desiccated coconut (optional)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon mixed herbs
1/2 teaspoon each Curry, thyme, salt to taste
2 Knorr chicken cubes or any bullion cubes you prefer.

DIRECTION

1.Firstly, marinate the chicken. To marinate, mix the olive oil, cumin, one knorr cube, black pepper, cayenne pepper and mixed herbs, let it refrigerate for at least an hour.
2.After it’s been marinated, take it out, dice it into bits and set aside.
3.Wash the rice thoroughly, leave to drain in a colander.
4.Into a heated pot, add the coconut milk stock/water, 1/4 teaspoon curry, thyme, salt, white pepper, one Knorr cube and bring to a boil on medium heat…
5.Stir, add the rice, cover the pot and let it boil till soft…
6.While that’s boiling, add the coconut oil into a frying pan on low-medium heatNow, add the onions, sauté for a minute, add the garlic and one knorr cube, sauté till fragrant.
7.Now, then add the diced chicken and one Knorr cube, fry till the chicken loses its pinkness and turns brown.
8.Add the carrot, sauté for another minute, then add the chopped peppers, green peas, sweet corn, prawns and red onions…
9.Stir for 5 minutes, be careful not to over cook your veggies. Switch off the heat when it’s fully done.
Check the rice at this time, when the liquid is all dried up and the rice soft, stir lightly to combine…
10.Add the fried veggies and chicken. Stir till all are fully combined. Adjust seasoning and salt if necessary. Reduce the heat and steam for a further 2-3 minutes or turn off and let it steam with the residual heat……and your coconut fried rice is ready.
11.Add the desiccated coconut if you choose to use this and slightly combine just before serving.

Enjoy your weekend.