With this recipe, I am attempting to evolve one of Nigerians' snacks into something that can fit into modern day's purposeful snack. Purposeful because its not just a snack to eat when you feel peckish, its a snack that has some benefits,... you know snack-with-benefits.

Just because I cannot settle for the usual, I present honey bean hummus...!

I have made this dish many times before, and I kind of love the taste and smooth texture. It is simple to make too. Here served with plantain chips, it can be served with bread, boiled yam, potatoes or even with rice.

It's healthy and versatile like its chickpea counterpart....!

What to do

1. Boil some honey beans preferably with a pressure cooker. 
2. Then transfer into a blender, add some water and coconut oil to aid blending, some salt. 
3. Blend until smooth. 
4. Make the blackened pepper sauce separately and serve.

Check out my other bean hummus recipes here.

This cake recipe is born out of my desire to eat healthy cakes. In my mind, I am thinking that adding vegetables to cake recipes will make them more healthy and hopefully still allow my occasional indulgence in a good dessert dish...!

Vegetables have been successfully added to cakes, most popular being carrots.., so why not use other vegetables too.

Of-course I knew not all vegetables will be ideal for making cakes, so I really had a lot of fun experimenting with different ones, and after several attempts I came up with a favourite..... #RedCabbgeCake.

I actually do love cabbage because of its fantastic nutritional benefit; especially the red one. I have created some really exciting recipes using red cabbage, and here is another one!


Colour, Texture, Taste Verdict
So I, from my judgement, came to the following conclusions: the cake was really moist. It felt that the cabbage brought a lot of moisture to the cake, and it was alittle dense. The texture was great, and the intense colour from the cabbage created a visual appeal. It tasted great and I really loved it.

What to do
I used one of my favourite cake recipes. To add the cabbage, I first blended some into a smooth puree. I then added to the batter a little at a time. Then baked the cake as usual.

Served two ways: with custard and with ice-cream

From all my diverse learning and discoveries about food and nutrition, I can safely conclude that good health is about understanding the food you eat and striking a balance in what you choose to eat, to create harmony in your body... does that make sense...?!

I understand that certain food items support the production of certain substances in our bodies... For instance some foods will support the production of collagen to make our skin healthy and fresh. Others will support the production of harmful substances in our bodies such as bad cholesterol, which has damaging effects on our hearts.

Further more, I have discovered a balance needs to be struck in our internal gut flora....! The  human gut is inhabited by trillions of micro-organisms, some of which are friendly and highly beneficial to our general health, and as expected some could be really dangerous to our health and cause diseases. So its a game of finding the types of food that promote the growth and sustenance of these good bacteria, over the bad and dangerous ones.

My very faithful readers know my style of experimenting with food. I tend to focus on one food ingredient and explore all possibilities with it. I read all about its nutritional data, y'know, just to get to understand and respect it. Then I begin to think of ways to process, cook, present and enjoy it... That's where I get the most fun.


I have been focusing on cabbage recently, especially the red variety, and have come to understand that it is one of those super food veggies that the friendly bacteria in my tommy love...!

Cabbage is typically served in salads in Nigeria, rarely cooked, so it is a little adventurous, what I came up with in this recipe...presenting Cabbage Alata.

What you need

• Red cabbage
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Yellow scotch bonnet chillis
• Chives for garnishing
• Palm oil
• Locust beans
• Dried fish
• Chicken stock

What to do

1. Grate some red cabbage and set aside. 
2. Blend tomatoes, peppers and onions. 
3. Add blend to some hot palm oil in a large sauce pan. 
4. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the dried fish, and locust beans. also add the stock. Stir all together and allow to cook for another 10 minutes or until the sauce is reduce to half its original volume. Taste for salt. 
5. Turn heat down and add mushrooms. 
6. Finally add the grated red cabbage. Stir all together, simmer for a further 2-3 minutes. 
7. Garnish with chopped chives. Serve hot with rice, yam, plantain...

For many many years, TollyBoy has been one of my favourite brands of rice and is usually my first choice for traditional Nigeria rice dishes such as Jollof rice and fried rice.. so when asked to partner with them on their campaign called #spreadthejoywithTollyBoy to support African and Bangladeshi communities, I was really quite excited. It was really heart warming and I felt it is a great opportunity to work with TollyBoy to give back to the community!

I am proud to be a part of this campaign because it truly contributes towards the course of some community groups that support the welfare of women and children, and also health, education and elderly care.

Each time you purchase and cook with TollyBoy rice, these community groups stand a chance of receiving much needed funding to progress with all the good works they are already doing within the community...! I find this really a really noble gesture and would like to invite you to participate too...!

You can be a part of the campaign in four simple steps:

1. Buy a special promotional pack of Tolly Boy rice with a sticker.

2. Peel the sticker on the pack to get your unique code.

3. Text or log on to our website www.spreadthejoywithtollyboy.co.uk to vote using your unique code on the pack.

4. Select your chosen community group and place your vote. For updates and notifications, follow @spreadthejoywithTollyBoy, @tasteofnigeria on Instagram and Twitter.

Check out all of my exciting rice recipes here.

Follow this link: http://funke-koleosho.blogspot.com/search/label/Rice%20recipes

As explained in a previous post, cabbage is a really healthy vegetable to eat, and eating it regularly has lots of benefits...! Read post on cabbage here.

Nigerians mostly eat cabbages in slaws and salads, which makes their use limited. But from all my different exploration and experimentation, I have discovered a  few new ways to include cabbage into some every day Nigerian menu, and will be sharing these with you in my following posts....

First up is Cabbage Eba / Cabbeba
The typical Nigerian food features a carb rich side dish which is served with some soup. People tend to avoid eating this dish because of its high carb content, and those who are guarding against weight gain, avoid it all together, in favour of others which are "supposedly healthier".

Well here is a way to make your favourite swallow dish more healthy... by adding pureed vegetables such as cabbage (white or red), you can significantly increase the fibre content of the dish, and also significantly lower its calories..! And the taste...? you wont even notice a difference...! you have to try it to believe me.!!!

Here is how...



What you need

• White or red cabbage (any variety will do really)
• Gari granules
• Water

What to do

1. Cut the cabbage into small pieces and place in a blender with a little amount of water. 
2. Blend cabbage into a smooth paste/smoothie. Transfer the blended cabbage into a deep base pan and allow to boil for about 2 minutes. 
3. Then add the gari, a little at a time stirring continuously to avoid lumps being formed. 
4. Continue until you achieve a stiff paste. 
5. Add some hot water and cover the pan to allow the cabbeba to cook for about 2 minutes. 
6. Then continue to stir again until you achieve a smooth and soft consistency. 
7. Serve hot with your favourite vegetable soup...

What the YouTube Video here:

As a foodie, every day is a day of discovery for me....! This is simply true.

When I was growing up, certain food ingredients featured more, or were used more in my mum's cooking. Over the years, and certainly today as I am my own person, I have seen an increasing variety of ingredients being used in modern Nigerian cooking. Majority of these ingredients are indigenous, and a considerable amount aren't...! I find this quite exciting and I always look forward to discovering more of these ingredients daily.

I love to explore and love to experiment with food, that's no secret, one other thing I love doing, is eating for health...! I take it upon myself to research ingredients and then find new ways to incorporate them into my menu....the trick is to eat variety, and eat fresh.

Cabbage is not indigenous to Nigeria, but it is grown in abundance there... and only ever used in salads and slaws.

Cabbage is one of the cruciferous vegetables which have huge nutritional benefits to humans. They are packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals and also believed to be beneficial for supporting the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

Variety
Cabbage comes in different varieties, with distinct tastes and colours, but largely are comparable in their nutritional benefits. In Nigeria the white variety is more prevalent. I have preference 0 for the red variety because of the rich dark colour, which I find really appealing when used to colour food.

Benefits of Cabbage
Cabbage is packed with nutrients, such as vitamin C (a powerful natural antioxidant), B1, B5, B6 and K, and is believed to possess compounds that could help to keep inflammation in check, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and keep the heart healthy. It is also excellent for improving digestion and treating constipation due to very high content of dietary fibre...! It also contains minerals such as potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Red cabbage in particular, has high levels of phyto-nutrients like carotenoids because of its intense deep red/purple colour, making it even more nutritious when compared to its green coloured counterparts.

Cabbage Diet
Cabbage is thought to be really good for weight loos, because it is considered to provide negative calories. What this means is, it takes more calories to burn and digest cabbage than it actually provides, hence eating a lot of cabbage will help expend energy and consequently calories..!!

It is believed that going on a diet of cabbage for 2 weeks, can help to achieve weight loss! This is one of the reasons, why personally, I am exploring the use of cabbage more and how I can include in my daily diet, so technically I can lose weight on an on going basis...!

I actively seek new ways to incorporate more vegetables in my diet...its just something I feel I need to do more of, in order to keep my well-being up...!

Thankfully there are so many vegetable options to choose from, the only challenge is, how do I cook and enjoy them.!

Vegetables are known for the nutrients they pack, vitamins and minerals and the all so important dietary fibre. This fact makes vegetables so delicate. Most vegetables cook very quickly, so you require some skills to actually cook them optimally, i.e. to ensure that the valuable nutrients they provide are left intact, or at least reduce their loss during the cooking process, to a barest minimum.


So, I have grown to love cabbage very much. I, as with most other Nigerians love to eat them in a coleslaw, that is actually about the only way, or rather, the most popular way, cabbage is eaten in Nigeria. In other sub-Saharan Africa countries, cabbage is also used in making stews or side dishes and omelettes.

Healthy Cabbage!
Cabbage is so full of nutrients, its unbelievable...and I am actually surprised I haven't taken much interest in it until now... It is an excellent source of many minerals such as manganese, potassium, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, copper and vitamins such as vitamin B1, folate, choline, vitamin B2, panthothenic acid and niacin. It is also an excellent source of all important dietary fibre. Additionally, cabbage contains some protein and complex carbohydrate.


I have discovered that cabbage can be cooked and enjoyed in a variety of ways...! The red variety in particular has a very interesting colour and capable of creating visually appealing dishes. And, just like carrots, cabbage is better eaten cooked than eaten raw...! So I am moving on from just eating cabbage in coleslaw...

In today's post I have made a simple rice dish that can be served with chicken stew.

What you need

• Red cabbage (white cabbage can be used too but the contrasting colour effect will not be achieved)
• Basmati or long grain rice
• Coconut oil
• Salt to taste

What do do

1. Cook rice as usual. But do not allow to get too soft. Then set aside. 
2. Grate some cabbage using the coarse side of a cheese grater. 
3. In a pan heat some oil and stir fry the grated cabbage and cooked rice for about 5 minutes. 
4. Serve hot with some chicken stew.

My post today is about one of my favourite soups, and since finding out more about the nutritional benefits of the vegetable from which the soup is made, it has featured even more in my diet! Read more about Ewedu leaves here. If you don't know much about this vegetable, especially its nutritional benefits you must read this post.

Ewedu or Ooyo soup, as called by the Yoruba people of Nigeria, is a rich, lush dark green mucilaginous soup eaten typically with yam flour foofoo (aka amala).

Prepping & Cooking Ewedu Leaves
To cook ewedu, the leaves must first be carefully picked leaving behind the though stalk and stem of the jute plant. These leaves are then thoroughly washed to remove all traces of soil or bugs. The leaves can then be cooked in the traditional way or by applying some modern techniques...

Traditional Method: the washed leaves are boiled in some water with added condiments, typically ijabe. The ijabe also help to create bubbles in the soup, a desirable property the resulting soup must have. Boiled or smoked mackerel fish may also be added to the soup at the last stage before serving,
locust beans, melon seed paste and ground crayfish, boiled until soft the leaves are then torn into small micro pieces using the traditional whisk called

Modern method: many modern methods have been applied to cooking ewedu soup. A lot of improvisation have been applied due to the unavailability of ingredients or equipment in particular the traditional whisk; ijabe.

Pizza is an import to Nigeria and because of its unique taste, its not surprising that it has become so popular, especially among the younger generation of Nigerians.

The establishment of pizza food companies such as Domino's, in many African countries including Nigeria, has made pizza more accessible and it has become much more of a favourite fast food for an increasing number of people in Nigeria. The only thing is,.... it could be pricey!

Making pizza is actually quite straight forward. Just a little effort and of-course the basic ingredients including pizza dough/base, cheese, tomato sauce and a variety of vegetables and meat pieces, are all that's required really.


I would say that making pizza dough is an easy process, but  its not something that can be done quickly without the effort.... I have seen several recipes using different types of dough and breads as a base for making it. Different types of flat breads, thin or thick crust bases, all sorts, have also been used.

It would seem that  different countries have had their own spin on making pizza, so I thought I might also try to give Pizza a Nigerian identity...if possible. 😊😊😊😊

All I needed was to find a suitable base, some cheese, a good tomato sauce and a variety of my favourite vegetables and proteins. My first thoughts for a base....  Agege Bread...!


Agege Bread is Nigeria's staple bread, which is a dense, sweet type of bread. Its also referred to as hard dough bread. The texture is quite soft and doughy and perfect for making pizza....Making pizza with Agege Bread was a hit first time..! It was quick to make, no stress and it was delicious...! Try it out.

What you need

• Agege bread
• Tomato sauce
• Grated cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
• Variety of chopped vegetables (eg onion, green pepper, etc)
• Chicken shreds (preferably cooked or roasted chicken. Other types of meat can also be used.)
• Fresh herbs (basil or thyme)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

What to do

1. Slice the bread across its breadth and place on an oven tray. 
2. Separately, make some tomato sauce by mixing some tomato paste, olive oil, warm water and salt and pepper in a bowl. 
3. Spread sauce on the sliced bread evenly. Then top with grated cheese, followed by chopped onions, green peppers and shredded chicken. (Also add other toppings of your choice.) 
4. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. 
5. Then place in a pre-heated oven with the top grill on. This will allow the pizza to cook from the top. Remember the bread is already cooked so it would not need much further cooking. 
6. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, checking regularly to avoid burning.
7. Serve hot.... I promise you your kids will ask for more.

Cooking and developing new Nigerian dishes are my express passion. Those who know me know that, I love to cook and eat... 😊 and explore new food ideas. Something else I love to do is show people how I cook all my exciting dishes and help them discover something new...for themselves, in the kitchen!

I run cookery sessions and diners' clubs (mostly private), and I get so much sense of accomplishment when my students/guests express their satisfaction with me... It is such a good feeling. So, in order to be able to do more for my followers, I usually plan sessions around themes such as religious festivities, healthy eating, dietary requirements etc. My latest theme is....for Newly Weds or the About-To Weds..!

So, out of all my previous sessions, majority of my students are those planning their weddings or those who just recently got married, the newly weds. I am particularly keen to hold sessions for this group of people because I applaud them for their keen interest in learning how to cook good home made food and feed their family...

In my opinion, there is no better way to express your love and care for your family, other than to cook and serve them wholesome freshly made home cooked food! - FKFB

Cookery Sessions for Newly Weds/About-To Weds

• These sessions are designed for those who have been or about to be married (grooms inclusive). 
• The sessions are privately run and tailored to their specific requirements. Many dishes or cooking techniques can be learned over a couple of sessions, which usually last from 3 to 5 hours.
• The sessions are held in the privacy of the student's home...and are delivered according to their pace.
• The students receive ongoing support (such as help with sourcing ingredients, food table/menu planning etc) for an agreed period of time to help them build confidence.

How To Book
Its really easy to get on the course. Select the session you prefer, with 3 Hour or 5 Hour session, and make your payment. Once your payment is received, we will be in touch to arrange a time most convenient for you. (This session can be given as a gift to newly weds/about-to weds).

To book a place on one of our Bridal Cookery Sessions, click the button below:

1. Cook! Nigerian Session Bridal Edition - 3 Hour Session
Cost - £75.00

2. Cook! Nigerian Session - Bridal Edition - 5 Hour Session
Cost - £120

If you want to find out more please use the contact form provided below:

Many people do not know that the term Jollof, refers actually to a concept/technique of cooking. It involves the cooking of food in one pot with ingredients added at different / key stages during the cooking process. IT is actually this timing or you may also call it precision, that make up for the variations that emerge in the resulting dishes. Of course the quality and quantity of ingredients used play also a really important role.

So its not surprising to have diffident types of Jollof. There is Jollof rice, Jollof beans, Jollof yam and of course Jollof Spaghetti.



Spaghetti is well loved and fully embraced import to Nigerian cuisine, and as expected, we have found our own ways of cooking and enjoying it.

Jollof Spaghetti can be made simply or quite elaborately as we choose. A variety of meat, dish and vegetables can be added, according to your preference. The crucial thing is to make the base sauce right. This will almost certainly guarantee a delicious dish.

What you need

• Durum wheat spaghetti
• Tomato paste
• Scotch bonnet chilli
• Red pepper
• Onion
• Cheddar cheese (optional)
• Chicken stock
• Salt
• Coconut oil

What to do

1. Blend the pepper, chilli pepper and onion in a blender. (the amount you use will depend on the amount of spaghetti you wish to cook). 
2. Then transfer the blend into a large sauce pan in which you have heated some oil. Also add tomato paste and stir well. 
3. Allow to sizzle for about 2 minutes then add some chicken stock. Turn heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes or until the emerging sauce thickens. 
4. Simultaneously, cook some spaghetti in some salted boiling water, al dente. This should be for about 5 minutes. 
5. Then strain the spaghetti and transfer into the sauce. Make sure the sauce pan is large enough to contain all. Stir well for even distribution, then turn heat down and allow to simmer until spaghetti cooks to your degree of softness or tenderness. You can add your preferred vegetables at this stage and allow all to cook through. 
6. Serve hot, with freshly shaved/grated cheese.

Beans and plantains are a foodie match. Their tastes and flavours, textures complement each other so well.

As one gets older, it's advised to make plant proteins the primary source of protein, and in Nigerian cuisine, beans (cow-peas) features prominently on the list of vegetables with high protein content. Beans also have high fibre, not forgetting other minerals and vitamins.

So I am always trying out new things with beans, just so that I do not get bored eating them or get stuck on just one way of eating them..! Check out my Beans Hummus & Bread recipe here.

One new way I enjoy eating beans is to make a paste out of them, similar to making hummus...actually my new Bean Paste dish is essentially fashioned after Hummus made from chickpeas...

The result is fantastic, healthy and versatile. Can be eaten any time of the day and super healthy.

What you need

• Ripe plantain
• Cooked cowpeas
• Salt and Black pepper
• Coconut oil
• Aganyin sauce (see recipe here)

What to do 

1. Slice the plantain across its length and deep fry until golden brown. 
2. Place the cooked beans in a food processor, add a pinch of salt and black pepper to season, a dash of coconut oil and some water to aid blending. 
3. Then blend into a smooth or coarse paste, depending on your preference. 
4. Serve

If you haven't already done so, you have to read my previous post on "no cooking but fridge raiding days"...! (Check it out here) Still continuing in the mood, I have also come up with something light to have for lunch without actually cooking....God help you that you have some left overs of the key ingredients in your fridge.

Jollof is arguably Nigeria's national dish, yet we only ever seem to eat it in a one-dimensional way. Though it could sometime be served with salad (typically a coleslaw) but it is never as a salad.

My concept for this recipe is clear, I wanted to enjoy this delicious rice dish with a variety of my favourite salad vegetables. I was also looking for a light lunch idea that requires very little effort to make.

All you require for this dish, is some pre cooked jollof rice. You also need a lot of your favourite salad ingredients. finito...!

I am currently obsessing over red cabbage at the moment, so I thought it would be visually appealing to serve my salad in a cabbage bowl, in the process increase my intake of vegetables... Its all good stuff. So try it out..

What you need

• Left over jollof rice (get recipe here)
• Stewed chicken
• Plantain fries (Aka Dodo)n 
• Salad leaves of choice
• Red cabbage (white cabbage can also be used)
• Cherry tomatoes
• Ata din din (used as salad dressing) See recipe here

What to do

1. Carefully cut the whole cabbage side ways and remove sheath of the it, to create the bowl. Soak the cabbage bowl in some salted water to allow to soften a little and also add some flavour
2. Heat up you jollof rice and add some ata din din to give it flavour. 
3. Then carefully arrange all the different components into the cabbage bowl. 
4. Explore your creativity.
5. Serve as a warm salad

We all have days when we just want to do absolutely no cooking at all, curl-up on the sofa, switch on our favourite TV show and just laze around....all day, day in day out.... however, that does not stop the pangs of hunger hitting though, so what does one do...!?

So on those days that I get to cook, I cook a lot, I mean a lot of different dishes and delicacies, and store them up in my freezer, for those days when you don't want to do any thing...!

Confident that I would always find something to rustle up, I raided my fridge and freezer, I found different things, but based on my craving, I opted for some moin moin and eko. (Eko is made by boiling maize pap and allowing it to solidify into a jellylike dough. By the way, this also freezes well and once you are ready to eat it, pop it into a microwave for a few minutes, trust me it tastes as good as fresh.)

Because I was looking for something light, I pondered on making a form of salad with Moin Moin & Eko...

Easy, satisfying and delicious, did I forget, nutritionally balanced. That's it, Lunch is served..!


What you need

• Pre made moin moin (check out my moin moin recipes here)
• Pre made Eko (get recipe here)
• Salad leaves of choice
• Soft boiled eggs

What to do

1. Cut the moin moin and eko into small bite size chunks, shell the eggs and slice. 
2. Arrange all components on a plate. Ready to eat...!

Moin Moin & Eko in a Salad

The typical Nigerian meal features a carb rich side, served with a bowl of vegetable soup/stew, which would contain some assortments of meat and/or seafood. The truth is there are many times you don't want to eat a traditional meal, all you want is something light and quick to put together.

I often enjoy to eat bread and stew simply for the fact that it is quick to prepare, no ceremonies about it. All you require is good quality bread and some pre-made red pepper sauce. In actual fact, bread is eaten with what we call in Nigeria ""Stew", which really is a sauce made with red peppers, tomatoes and onions. (Check out a recipe here).

So to make my stew more interesting and wholesome, I decided to add a few more protein elements to it, in the form of left over boiled cow-peas and shredded roast chicken.It was enjoyable and very filling.

PS.... not every time swallow swallow, transform bread and stew into proper lunch...!

What you need

• Pre-made tomato and red pepper sauce (Get recipe here)
• Left over boiled cow-peas
• Left over shredded chicken
• Agege bread

What to do

1. Place some pre-made sauce into a small sauce pan and allow to simmer for a few minutes. This will also help reduce the sauce and thicken it to your liking. 
2. Then add the cow-peas and chicken. You can also add pre-cooked vegetables such as mushrooms, courgettes etc, according to your preference.
3. Allow all to simmer together, then serve with some slices of bread.

Presenting a great dessert made from an unlikely ingredient...!

Through all of my culinary journeys I have come to learn that, "everything is possible", so long you have a strong desire for it to happen...!

As you may now already have established, I love to explore new uses for indigenous Nigerian (West African ) food ingredients. My discoveries do catch me by surprise sometimes, and I get a lot of thrill from the results I am able to achieve.

I have explored the use of Gari in the past, especially making it more nutritious....as it is largely carbohydrate. and not much else. Some of my recipes feature the incorporation of vegetables into the process of making a local dish (eba) using Gari. I have also discovered that due to its grainy texture and crispy dryness, it can be used as a substitute for bread crumbs.... yes! I have effectively used Gari in meatballs, scotch eggs and a variety of other dishes that require a bulking agent. And yes, the results are very impressive. You have to try it out for yourself to experience it.

Toasted Gari with added Zobo (Hibiscus flower) Syrup

So during a cookery exploration session I had recently, several ideas popped up regarding what ingredients can be used to make some of the dishes we were making extra special and mysterious.....

My dish today is one of the outcomes of my exploration, slash, experimentation, slash, playing with food.... call it what you may, but its a success and I love it.... You've got to try it.

What you need

• Gari (I prefer the Ijebu Gari variety, because of its naturally sour flavour which works well in this dessert dish)  Read a little more about Gari here
• Brown sugar
• Zobo Syrup (Get the recipe here)
• Good quality Vanilla ice-cream

What to do

1. You need a good pan which will not readily allow burning or sticking of the gari. Place the pan on a medium heat and pour some gari. Stir continuously to prevent burning. 
2. Add some sugar and continue to stir. You have to be really patient and careful not to burn the sugar and the gari because burnt sugar will leave a bitter taste. Watch the heat closely, and turn down heat if needs be to regulate it. In effect, you are toasting the gari, to drive out moisture and make it crispy. 
3. Have a little taste and when you have achieved this, then add some minced, precooked zobo leaves, and also add some zobo syrup, a little at a time, stirring constantly. 
4. You will notice that the gari will start to clump together similar to what happens with brown sugar. This indicates its ready. Serve with some ice cream..!

So when I see or hear about foods of West African origin being transformed into something new, I get really excited, and very interested to find out more about what is being done and why... (Image above: cooking with Power Gari)

A few days ago, I received a link to the JUST website (an American company) which featured one of their products being introduced to Liberia. Its called Power Gari, and my reaction was, hhhmmm.... I became curious, worried and excited all at once..

Gari is a West African food ingredient made from cassava, an indigenous root vegetable that serves as a staple source of carbohydrate.

Frying/Roasting Gari - Photo credit: http://pedagogie84.pagesperso-orange.fr/g-gari.htm

Gari is processed by grating peeled cassava tubers, soaked/steeped for a few days, strained and fried/roasted to drive the moisture out. Check out the entire process of making Gari here. The resulting flakes or granules is referred to as Gari and this is further cooked in hot water to make a paste which is served with a variety of soups/stews.

There is no doubt that Gari is the most commonly consumed food ingredient in the whole of West Africa, particularly by the common men, women and children. The popular dish called eba is consumed once a day by the average West African...!

Nutritional Data
Gari is very high in carbohydrate with about 4% fibre per content. Based on 100g serving of uncooked gari granules -
Calories - 365.8 kcal
Dietary Fibre - 4g
Carbohydrates - 86g
Protein - 2g
Fat - 0.2g
Vitamins - N/A
Minerals - Iron Calcium, Phosphorus

Its not surprising to see that the major vitamin found in cassava (which is Vitamin C), is lost during processing. There are however, still some minerals present in the final product, though it has to be said, very minimal.

Gari on its own is far from being a balanced meal. Traditionally, it is cooked with some hot water (almost like polenta) and served with a variety of vegetable soups/stews. The soups usually contain fish and/or meat, so this way, a balance can be reached. However, the truth is, in most West African countries, due to poverty, most people are unable to afford fish/meat or certain other vegetables, to ensure they eat a balanced meal.

Health Concerns
A diet based solely on carbohydrate rich foods such as gari, pose health risks such as development of type 2 diabetes and obesity. For this reason, I have been very keen to see how best gari can be fortified to ensure its consumers gain the most nutritional benefits. I have created recipes adding fresh vegetables to gari during the process of cooking. See recipe here: Veggie Eba

Power Gari - by JUST
Introduction of Power Gari is promising, in terms of the potential advantages it can offer consumers. According to JUST, Power Gari is fortified with vitamins and minerals; and they have also increased its protein content to about 12g per serving. Their aim is to ensure that consumers of their product will be assured of their daily intake of the vital nutrients they need; pretty much similar the malt drinks introduced to African many years ago...!

Check out the video below:



Insight
The fact is, the idea of fortifying gari is not new, its just that we have not taken it as a serious prospect...! I personally believe, that as the primary consumers of Gari, we should be in forefront of innovation ...

So I am really keen to find out more about this product and to explore the possibilities of what can be done with it. And also to investigate if truly it can meet the aims for which it was developed. The success of Power Gari will open a floodgate of similar products, which I believe will have major economical implications particularly for local producers of traditional Gari, who would now have new avenues to increase revenue.

According to JUST, this is already the case in Liberia, and they have their sights on other West African countries, such as Nigeria, as mentioned in the video above.

One last thing, I am looking forward to seeing the actual nutritional data breakdown and content.

Power Gari made in form of a porridge

Those who follow me and read my blog posts do so largely for the creativity and art that I incorporate in my dishes/artistic recipes....( at least that is what I have been told, anyway).

It's a fact, I love food, the theatricals of food, food presentation and art. I strongly believe that all these, coupled, of course, with great tastes, flavours and textures, make for a complete eating/dining experience...! It's all about creating for your eyes, your taste buds and ultimately your tummy. It's part of living a full life.... in my opinion.

Now for me, my major challenges lie in the "nature" of Nigerian food ingredients. In other cuisines, you see the different ways food ingredients are carved out and used to create dishes that wow diners and usually arouse them to want to take a bite... In Nigerian cuisine, it's a little different. Generally, very little is known about these ingredients, so how to prepare them or manipulate them can be a little tricky. But, hey, I love the challenge, and I have enough time and imagination to explore and experiment with them!


So in today's post, I have chosen to serve some fried yam with some fried fish and some fried spicy pepper sauce.... yes, do you notice the fact that all are fried....hhhmmm, the frying helps to develop all the lovely tastes and flavours of the different ingredients. This dish combination is so typical and is one of the traditional dishes eaten in Nigeria, actually a dish eaten between meals, or as a snack (ipanu, as the Yoruba people will call it.)

So I present to you, my Fried Yam Hoop, Grilled Salmon and Spicy Ata Dindin... This will make your guests wonder and marvel, and also get excited with all its elements!


Here is how to try it out....

What you need

• Yam (I used the puna yam variety in this recipe. Read more about yams here)
• Salmon (or any other fish of your choice)
• Pre-made Ata Dindin (get the recipe here)
• Coconut oil for frying

What to do

1. Cut chunky slices of the yam, across its width, carefully peel the skin off and rinse. Then using a cooking ring, cut out the core of the yam slices. 
2. Try as much as possible to get a perfect hoop being careful not to break the hoop. The cored out parts of the  yam can still be cut into chunky sticks/batons and can also be fried and served with the hoop. 
3. Now, I usually per-boil the yam in some salted water for about 2-3 minutes. Then I remove the half boiled yam and transfer into cold water to stop further cooking. Then I drain off the excess water from the yam, dip into whisked egg wash and dip fry. As an alternative, the yam can be fried in one single step without the need to pre-boil. Drain excess oil from yam using clean kitchen towels.
4. Clean the fish and pan fry or grill. Then serve with some pre-made ata dindin.