this sound delicious and you've mentioned this before, but what are these things?:
quote:with egussi, or with okro, or with gbegiri
??
quote:... in fact, it's rediculous trying to list all the tasty meals we make in my small part of the Yoruba land in West Africa. Imagine what else is out there in gigantic Africa.
Point taken.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote: The seeds, water, and oil, egusi soup typically contains leaf vegetables, other vegetables, seasonings, and meat. Typical leaf vegetables for egusi soup include bitterleaf and celosia. Typical other vegetables include tomatoes and okra. Typical seasonings include chiles, onions, and iru (fermented beans). Typical meats include beef, goat, fish, shrimp, or crayfish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egusi
Egusi: unshelled
Egusi: shelled
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote: Moin Moin is a Nigerian steamed bean pudding made from a mixture of washed and peeled black-eyed beans, onions and fresh black pepper. It is a protein-rich food that is a staple in Nigeria.
Moin moin is prepared by first soaking the beans in water until they are soft enough to remove the fine outer covering or peel. Then they are ground or blended (using a blender) until they are as liquid as possible. Salt, dried crayfish, palm oil (or any edible oil) and other seasonings are added to taste. Some add sardines, corned beef, sliced boiled eggs, or a combination of these and other 'garnishes' to liven up moin moin. Such is referred to as having 'x' number of lives, 'x' representing the number of garnishes added. The most touted is "moin moin elemi meje", which translates to moin moin with 7 lives.
Moin moin usually comes in a slanted pyramid shape or a cylindrical shape, owing to the mold it is poured into prior to cooking. The pyramid shape comes from the traditional broad banana leaves fashioned into a cone in one's palm, then the seasoned and garnished liquid is poured into the leaves, which is then folded.
Banana leaves
The cylindrical shapes come from empty cans of tomato sauce used in preparation of other dishes. Once placed in its mold, it is placed in a large pot about a tenth filled with water. The water is the source of steam that cooks the moin moin. Moin moin is eaten alone or with bread as a snack, with rice as a meal or with ogi (corn or millet porridge) for breakfast or supper.
Amala is a type of food eaten in West Africa, precisely among the Yoruba of Nigeria. It is made by slicing yam which is a very popular vegetable in Nigeria, drying and grinding it into yam flour which is then sieved and processed into amala by mixing the powder into boiling water and stirring it to a desired texture. It could be served with a variety of soups, such as okro, ogbona, ewedu,efo, or Gbegiri.
Types
There are generally two types of Amala. One is Amala Isu, which is derived from sliced, dried, ground and processed yams tubers into yam powder. When this processed yam powder is added to hot water, it gradually turns into a black/brown dough. This can be eaten with a variety of soups and vegetables. There is another type of amala derived from cassava tubers and referred to as Amala Lafun. This is commonly eaten among the Yoruba. The cassava tubers are peeled, dried, ground and sieved to remove any shafts or lumps. This type of Amala will usually become a white dough when added to water.
Source: Wikipedia.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
This one came from the North, from our Hausa/Fulani Bredrins. However, it is now the snack du jour on Lagos streets which is a Yoruba state.
Suya
quote: Suya, is a shish kebab like food popular in West Africa, originally from the Hausa people of northern Nigeria and Niger. Suya is generally made with skewered beef mixed with a lot of hot spices and or peanuts. It is enjoyed in most parts of Nigeria, although it is believed to have originated from the Hausa/Fulanis of the north. Commonly found as a late night delicacy, it is also sold during the day.
Suya has proved to be an extremely popular evening snack sold by many roadside vendors and restaurants. Suya is very nutritious and high in protein. It comes in many variations of spices, such as mild, normal, and hot.
It is also commonly packed with onions and tomatoes and Masa or Waina (a locally made rice pattercake).
quote: Palm Wine also called Palm Toddy or simply Toddy is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the Palmyra, and coconut palms.[1][not in citation given] This drink is common in various parts of Asia and Africa, and goes by various names, such as emu and ogogoro in Nigeria, nsafufuo in Ghana,[2] kallu in South India, goribon (Rungus) in Sabah, Borneo, and tuba in the Philippines and Mexico. Toddy is also consumed in Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
posted
I would post more but I can't be bothered. Suffice to say all that I've posted represents but a small fraction of the foods that I know of to be regularly consumed among Yorubas.Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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quote:Originally posted by HORUS of EDFU: I would post more but I can't be bothered. Suffice to say all that I've posted represents but a small fraction of the foods that I know of to be regularly consumed among Yorubas.
[Surinam Peanut soup with Tom-tom, watch out for the Scottish Bonnet pepper called Madame Jeanette!]
You have made me very happy with this information. If you have more Yoruba titbits, I would be delighted. I’m at present under attack for my approach to internet and afro centrism. But I see that you also post as you please. I love the way Black people have a chance over here to talk without a police car pulling up to intimidate us.
We make a dish called ‘Tom-Tom nanga Bravu’ witch resembles this wonderful soup you have presented. Yours I would call the 'haute cuisine' version, because our Bravu has not this many ingredients, nor the extra things you do with the meat. I think we have some Oregano in Surinam, but I never saw it used. You might laugh, but I discovered this Oregano when I first came to Holland. The cook at the restaurant where I washed dishes would sprinkle this herb on my pizza, against my warnings, because it smelled like that awful weed I was cutting from my garden in Surinam. It smelled foul. Now I eat it all the time, and grow it too.
I’m fascinated with the ground crawfish, never saw it before. Perhaps we would use Trassi, purple, fermented shrimp paste from South East Asia. But not in these dishes, I would say.
We use All Spice, called Lont-ai (round eye), flat parsley and whole Scottish Bonnet peppers which we leave whole on top of the dish. Then you get only the aroma, not the intense heat.
We mix meats with smoked fish. I have never seen melon seed being used that way before. As far as I know we chuck them out. For snacks we eat peanuts. Peanuts, peanuts, peanuts! Then we pound cooked half green plantains, one ripe sweet one and lots of butter and some water, to make Tom-tom. I know about pounded yams, but I never saw it being made nor tasted it. We also make a peanut soup to go with Tom-tom.
This meal has a deep cultural feeling to it, as it was these foods which sustained our ancestors, the slaves. I now see my grandmother in her yard pounding away at plantains while my mother, as a handmaiden, added the butter and spoonfull's of hot water.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
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quote:Originally posted by HORUS of EDFU: Something to wash it down...
quote: Palm Wine also called Palm Toddy or simply Toddy is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the Palmyra, and coconut palms.[1][not in citation given] This drink is common in various parts of Asia and Africa, and goes by various names, such as emu and ogogoro in Nigeria, nsafufuo in Ghana,[2] kallu in South India, goribon (Rungus) in Sabah, Borneo, and tuba in the Philippines and Mexico. Toddy is also consumed in Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
From the looks of things so far, it looks like whatever you post I'mma HAVETA try.
Call it far fetched, abstract, or spiritual (or even chauvinistic) but to me it seems this is where we get our tastes and cooking skills from..
Posts: 5555 | From: Tha 5th Dimension. | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
^ Definitely, I see a lot of African influences in foods from the diaspora. I've had the good fortune of eating a variety of dishes from Guyana and they are very much "African meals". Their "cookup" rice is similar to jollof rice.
The drink which we call "emu" is just grand. It's kinda sweet, but not too much, just right and it's kinda sour as well (high vitamin C indicator). It's probably good for your health in moderate quantities (like sake ). Serve it cold it's fantastic!
I'm sure there are many Nigerian restaurants near you where you can sample these foods. Just google Nigerian restaurants in your area.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Popular dish amongst Igbos, not so much consumed by Yorubas.
From seeds...
...to meals:
quote:
Ogbono Soup
This recipe, which is popular in Nigeria and its neighbors, uses ogbono (sometimes spelled agbono, and also called apon) as the soup thickener. Ogbono is the kernels (whole or crushed) of the bush mango, or wild mango tree (Irvingia gabonensis or Irvingia wombolu), which is native to the tropical Atlantic coast region of Africa. Nearer the equator, in Cameroon and Gabon, ogbono goes by the names etima, odika, or dika. (See: Beef in Wild Mango Kernel Sauce.) Packaged ogbono or apon (whole or crushed) is available in African import grocery stores outside of Africa. Ogbono may be the most powerful of all African soup thickeners; it is best to add it to the soup in small amounts, while stirring to avoid making lumps, until the desired consistency is obtained. cacao harvest in nigeria
What you need
* one pound meat (beef, lamb, or goat) or chicken; cut into bite-sized pieces * cayenne pepper or red pepper * one cup palm oil, or any cooking oil * two or three tomatoes, peeled (if desired) and chopped * one chile pepper, cleaned and chopped * one onion, finely chopped * one-half cup ogbono, crushed * two Maggi® cubes dissolved in water, or a spoonful or two of Maggi® sauce * one dozen okra pods, ends removed, whole or chopped (optional) * one piece dried, salted, or smoked fish; de-boned and cleaned -- or -- one cup dried shrimp or prawns, whole or crushed (optional) * a large bunch spinach leaves, or any greens (bitterleaf, collards, kale, turnip greens, etc.) [it may be a good idea to parboil the greens before using them in the soup] (optional) * salt
What you do
* Rub the meat with the cayenne pepper and let it stand for about an hour. * In a large pot, bring a few cups of water to a boil. Add the meat and cook it for several minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer. * In a skillet, heat most of the oil and fry the tomato, chile pepper, and onion until they are tender. * Add the fried vegetables and the Maggi® cube water to the meat. Cover and continue to simmer on low heat. * Heat the remaining oil in the skillet, stir in the ogbono, and fry it for a few minutes, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste. * Add the ogbono paste to the meat and vegetable mixture. Stir to avoid forming lumbs. * Add the okra and dried fish, shrimp, or prawns (if desired). Cover and cook a few minutes more. Add water if needed to obtain the desired consistency. * Add spinach leaves or other greens. Adjust seasoning. Cover and cook until all is tender. * Serve with Fufu, or boiled yams, or potatoes.
Fufu, variants include foofoo, foufou, foutou or fu fu, is a staple food of West and Central Africa. It is a thick paste or porridge usually made by boiling starchy root vegetables in water and pounding with a large stick and bowl until the desired consistency is reached. In the French-speaking regions of Cameroon and Mali, fufu is sometimes called couscous (couscous de Mali or couscous de Cameroun), not to be confused with the Moroccan dish couscous.[1]
In Western Africa, foofoo is usually made from cassava, yams, and sometimes combined with cocoyam, plantains, or maize. In Ghana, fufu is mostly made from boiled cassava and unripe plantain beaten together, as well as from cocoyam, and yam. Currently, these products have been made into powder/flour and can be mixed with hot water to obtain the final product hence eliminating the arduous task of beating it in a mortar and pestle. In Central Africa, fufu is often made from cassava, as is the Liberian dumboy. Fufu can also be made from semolina, rice, or even instant potato flakes. Often, the dish is still made by traditional methods: pounding and beating the base substance in a mortar with a wooden spoon. In contexts where poverty is not an issue, or where modern appliances are readily available, a food processor may also be used.
In Western and Central Africa, the more common method is to serve a mound of fufu along with a soup made from okra, fish, tomato, etc. In Ghana, fufu is eaten with light (tomato) soup, palm nut soup, groundnut(peanut) soup or other types of soups with vegetables such as nkontomire (cocoyam leaves). Soups are often made with different kinds of meat and fish, fresh or smoked. The diner pinches off a small ball of fufu and makes an indentation with the thumb. This reservoir is then filled with soup, and the ball is eaten. In Ghana and Nigeria, the ball is often not chewed but swallowed whole. In fact, among the older generation, and the younger generation, chewing fufu is a faux pas.
A similar staple in Sub-Saharan Africa is ugali, which is usually made from maize flour and is eaten in southern and east Africa. The name ugali is used in Kenya and Tanzania; closely related staples are called nshima in Zambia, nsima in Malawi, sadza in Zimbabwe, pap in South Africa, posho in Uganda, fufu, nshima, moteke and bugari in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and ghaat in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
In Caribbean nations with populations of West African origin, such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic, plantains are mashed and then other ingredients are added to the plantain mash such as fried onions, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and seasoned morsels of chicken or bacon. In Cuba it is called fufu de platano, in the Dominican Republic mangu, and in Puerto Rico mofongo.
In Nigeria the fufu is white and sticky. The traditional method of eating fufu is to wash your hands then take a marble sized ball of fufu in the right hand. You then make an indentation in the ball and scoop up the stew or soup you are eating; finally eating the fufu itself. Therefore fufu not only serves as a food but also as a utensil.
Foo-foo is frequently mentioned in Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart.
^Note: In Guyana (South America), they have a derivative of Fufu but I don't know what it's called.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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I think I am going to like fufu from cassava and yams, because I always thought that it was made of maize, which I really don't like, but it is very nice to know that there are different variants, and it explains why I did not tried it before.
Posts: 2198 | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Arwa: I think I am going to like fufu from cassava and yams, because I always thought that it was made of maize, which I really don't like, but it is very nice to know that there are different variants, and it explains why I did not tried it before.
Also try pounding plantains, with butter and some hotwater. Served with Peanut soup.
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
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quote:Originally posted by HORUS of EDFU: I would post more but I can't be bothered. Suffice to say all that I've posted represents but a small fraction of the foods that I know of to be regularly consumed among Yorubas.
Profile for HORUS of EDFU Member Status: Member Member Number: 11484 Registered: 25 July, 2006 Posts: 2401 Location: Semantic Manor Occupation: Free Mason Interests: Freemasonry
Posts: 5454 | From: Holland | Registered: Aug 2008
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This threads giving me an appetite. I'm hungry.
quote:Originally posted by HORUS of EDFU: I would post more but I can't be bothered. Suffice to say all that I've posted represents but a small fraction of the foods that I know of to be regularly consumed among Yorubas.
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