Abacha and Ugba, also known as African salad, originates from the Igbo tribe of Eastern Nigeria and is a cassava-based dish. Abacha refers to dried shredded cassava, while Ugba is fermented African oil bean seed. I was introduced to Abacha by my Igbo neighbors back in Nigeria when I was in primary school, and I absolutely loved it!

Abacha has remained an absolute favorite of mine because it’s incredibly easy to prepare, and its ingredients are readily available. Unfortunately, my pictures don’t do justice to the recipe because I encountered a slight hiccup with my camera just as I was about to begin. You’ll notice the picture quality changed after I added the Potash mixture to the Palm oil. I didn’t have much time to fix it, so I had to wait until the end to get help with adjusting its settings. Please bear with me on this.

It’s essential to note that Abacha and Ugba is not a hob/stove-cooked dish, so don’t be tempted to cook it with heat.

Ingredients:

– 4 Cups Abacha
– 1.5 – 2 Cups Ugba
– 1 Cup Palm Oil
– 1 Teaspoon Edible Potash (Akaun)
– 1 Whole Fresh Fish (Mackerel/Titus preferred)
– 2-3 Medium Stockfish/ Okporoko (Optional)
– 1-2 Scotch Bonnet or 2 Tablespoons Ground pepper
– 1 Red Onion
– 4-6 Garden Eggs (Optional)
– 6-8 Utazi Leaves
– 2 Tablespoons Crayfish Powder
– 5 Calabash Nutmeg Seeds (Ehuru)
– 1/2 Teaspoon Ogiri
– Knorr Cubes or any Bouillon Cubes

Preparation:

Firstly, clean and gut your fish, then marinate it with salt, curry, bouillon cube, or seasoning. Leave it to marinate in your fridge or a cool place for at least 30 minutes…

Then grill or fry. I prefer grilling, this was grilled for 45 minutes on 220 degrees…

Soak the Abacha in cold water till soft, this should take roughly 10 minutes, leave to drain in a colander….

Rinse the Ugba with warm water to rid it of dirt…

Boil the stockfish with salt and seasoning till soft…

Dissolve the Potash in 1 cup of water…..

Blend the scotch bonnet, 1/2 of the onion, crayfish and ground Ehuru till smooth and set aside….

Roast the Calabash nutmeg, peel and grind in a mortar or mill. I’m using pre-ground Ehuru but this is what Calabash nutmeg looks like in case you’re wondering….

Pour the palm oil into a bowl or saucepan, gradually add the potash mixture into the palm oil, mix thoroughly, you’ll notice the palm oil will begin to thicken and the colour will turn yellowy. Be careful not to add too much also be careful not to add the residue at the bottom of the bowl…
Now, add the pepper mix into the palm oil…

Now, add the shredded stockfish, Ogiri, then the Ugba, stir and combine…

Then add the Abacha, stir and combine….

And it’s ready.

You can mix in your chopped Utazi leaves at this time if you wish to. I prefer to just garnish with it. Be careful not to add too much Utazi though, it’s quite bitter and will affect the taste of your Abacha if added in excess.

Note: If you prefer your Abacha warm, do transfer it to a hob and let it simmer on low heat for 2 minutes or heat up in a microwave.

Garnish with Onion rings, Garden Eggs, Utazi leaves and the Grilled/Fried Fish

Gizdodo ( Dodo Gizzard)

Gizdodo is simply peppered Gizzard and Plantain. It’s the awesome fusion of Chicken Gizzard, Fried Plantain and Spicy Tomato Stew, what’s not to love?

Gizdodo is an increasingly popular dish in Nigerian homes and parties. It is usually served with rice dishes but it also makes a perfect  “small chops” snack or starter at Nigerian parties. I tasted Gizdodo for the first time at a baby shower in 2013 and I was swooned, who wouldn’t be? It’s a marriage between one of the yummiest parts of chicken and the much loved fried plantain, double yum!

Ingredients:

3 ripe plantains

450 grams gizzard

4 medium size tomatoes

2 red bell pepper

1 whole onion 1/2 onion chopped

1/2 red, green, yellow bell pepper each chopped

1.5 scotch bonnet

Vegetable/sunflower oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tsp chicken seasoning ( I use Aromat)

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt to taste

Scotch Eggs rank among my favorite Nigerian snacks of all time. While my top picks are Nigerian Chicken Pies, closely followed by Nigerian Meat Pies, Scotch eggs hold a special place in my heart. Although Scotch eggs didn’t originate from Nigeria, they are incredibly popular here, almost to the point of being considered a Nigerian delicacy.

I already have a recipe for Nigerian Scotch Eggs.

Ingredients:

– 7 Medium Eggs
– 400g Sausage Meat
– Vegetable Oil for Deep Frying
– 50g Plain Flour
– 80g Bread Crumbs
– 1 Teaspoon Onion Salt/ Onion Powder
– 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
– 1 Teaspoon Rosemary
– 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
– 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or Smoked Paprika
– 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
– Chicken Seasoning/ Optional

Palm Oil Stew?? I’m sure many people are curious if there’s anything unique about this stew, considering I already have at least 6 different palm oil stew recipes on the blog. Well, this recipe is from my mum. She rarely consumes meat, so she often prepares stews using dried fish and stock fish, and she prefers to use palm oil over vegetable oil.

To be honest, Nigerian stews are remarkably adaptable. I mean, I can create at least 5 different-tasting stews using the same set of ingredients. The variations in flavor primarily depend on cooking methods, the duration the stew is allowed to simmer, and the timing of ingredient additions. So, even though the ingredients may seem similar, trust me, each stew has its own unique flavor profile.

Ingredients:

– 6 Red Bell Peppers (Tatashe)
– Assorted meats (Boiled and Fried)
– 4-6 Boiled Eggs (Optional)
– 1.5 cups Palm oil
– 2 Big onions
– 2-4 Scotch bonnet (Ata rodo)
– Stock fish
– Dried Catfish fillets or Shawa fillets
– 1 Cup Dried Prawns
– 4 Tablespoons Crayfish Powder
– 4 Knorr Chicken Cubes
– Salt to taste

Method:

Using a food processor, chop up your bell peppers and 1.5 Onions coarsely, set aside..

Boil your Stock fish and Catfish fillets in salted water till soft. Set aside..

Pour the palm oil into a pan, set on medium heat. When the oil heats up, add the 1/2 chopped onion, saute for 3 minutes…

After 3 minutes, add half of the crayfish powder, saute for just 30 seconds….

Try not to leave the crayfish for too long to avoid it burning or it’ll give your stew a bitter taste…

Then add the pepper. Also add the Knorr cubes and salt to taste, leave to fry on medium heat for 20 minutes, remember to stir every now and then to avoid burning..

The stew should look like this after 20 minutes. In fact, the stew should be cooked enough to eat at this time but we’re not done yet…:)

Then add the Stock fish and Catfish fillet..

Also add a 1/2 a cup of the fish broth…

Now, turn the heat to low, then leave to fry for 40 minutes. the longer it fries, the drier it becomes and the tastier it gets. Trust me, the key to well fried stew is to let it fry for as long as possible. Try not to burn the stew though..

After 40 minutes, add the fried meats and boiled eggs, continue to fry for a further 10 minutes..

Your palm oil stew is ready..

Enjoy!

This is quite significant. Ewedu elegusi, a traditional Yoruba dish, comprises a blend of jute leaves and melon seeds. Typically, it is served alongside Gbegiri (bean soup) or a palm oil-based stew. This culinary combination is often paired with amala (fermented yam dumplings) and is enjoyed as a regular lunch or during special occasions. Many local eateries in the western region, known as Bukas, frequently feature this combination on their menus.

The preparation of this soup is relatively straightforward, with the main consideration being the ratio of ewedu leaves to water; if there is too much water in the mixture, the ewedu will not achieve the desired viscosity.

1. Combine the egusi with 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
2. Place a medium pot on high heat, add in the water and bring to a boil.
3. Add in the ewedu leaves. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 5 minutes of until leaves are softened.
4. Pour boiled ewedu into a blender and process until smooth ( this step is traditionally done with a local broom called “Ijabe’). The broom is used to pound the cooking ewedu until leaves are broken into tiny pieces – talk about workout!)
5. Return blended ewedu to the pot and add in iru, salt, and egusi paste. As soon as the egusi starts to curdle, stir.
6. Stir in more warm water at this point to your desired level of thickness (I added about 1 cup extra).
7. 
8. Serve ewedu with stew and gbegiri.

Looking for a fast way to cook Jollof rice? Authentic, delicious-tasting Jollof Rice in the convenience of a rice cooker or Instant Pot? I hear you saying, ‘Sign me up already.’

Now, let’s be very clear. The depth of good Jollof rice is in the base. There are loads of techniques to make a good base. You start with the right combination of peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Chop, season, and roast to perfection. Then you infuse the oil with onions and spices. Fry the tartness out of the tomato paste. Introduce your roasted base. Then introduce your spices, including curry, thyme, white pepper, etc. Cook until everything is well-married. Now you can move on to cooking your Jollof in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. This is, give or take, a 45-60 minute prep process.

That doesn’t sound so easy, does it? Truth is, a well-cooked base is non-negotiable when it comes to good Jollof. Well, the good news is, we can skip all the steps above and simply use the Atare Foods JollofNow cooking paste. This paste is a lifesaver and a great addition to every kitchen. It’s the Jollof you know and love, with all the natural ingredients you would use in your own kitchen, presented to you in a ready-to-use format. Welcome to modern convenience without compromise.”

Slow cooker / Instant Pot Jollof Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Jar AtareFoods JollofNow paste
• 3 cups parboiled or Sella basmati rice
• 3-4 cups broth or water*
• 3-4 stock cubes – to taste
• Salt – to taste

Directions

• Wash the rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
• In your instant pot or rice cooker, add the broth (water), Jollof Now. Stir until well incorporated.
• Taste the broth and add more salt, stock cube and or pepper as needed.
• Stir in washed rice
• If using a rice cooker, turn on the cook function and cover. If using instant pot, turn on the rice function and cover.
• Once done. stir to combine. Add in some butter and freshly sliced tomatoes if you are feeling fancy.

That’s all!!! it’s literally less than 5 minutes of prep to make perfectly delicious Jollof Rice. Serve your Jollof with choice of protein. I love mine with Fried egg and grilled turkey wing.

Recipe note: I am recommending 3 0r 4 cups of liquid simply as a matter of preference. If you prefer a just rice texture of rice, use 3 cups. If you prefer softer textured rice, use 4 cups.