Nigeria's Priced Sea Food - Eja Osan

Cleaned Eja Osan

I posted a recipe with one of Nigeria's highly priced seafood item, the fish known in Yoruba as Eja Osan or Dansarki in Hausa or in Igbo its called Azu Asa. It is a highly regarded and expensive delicacy and often used as part of paying dowry / bride price. Its so highly regarded, a famous Nigerian musician sang about it...!

Not everyone in the country has access to this fish as it is only sold in specific locations. It is not farmed, those sold are caught in the wild, making them even more desirable.

The fish has an eel like appearance but in contrast, has scales and an unusually rat-like tail. It is covered in scales with an undulating dorsal fin. It generates electricity like other eels but not enough to affect humans.

Like other fish, Eja osan is a good source of protein with some nutritionally beneficial fats/oils.

Eja Osa which in referred to as Aba Knifefish in other parts of the world, is cooked fresh in soups and stews and it can also be smoked and dried to preserve it.

Cleaned Eja Osan

Eja Osan being scaled at "Oja Chief" in Epe

Further Reading

Check out more bioloigcal details about Eja Osan here

Watch video of Eja Osan (aka Aba Knife Fish) here