How To Prepare Bitterleaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)

Ofe onugbu (as the igbos like to call it) is very delicious and popylar because it could be made in more than 5 different ways and can also be refrigerated for a very long time. This soup can be made with egusi (melon seeds), ede (cocoa yam), ofor, achi or even ogbono. INGREDIENTS : 2kg Meat of choice (beef, chicken, pork, turkey) Bitter leaf (wash to desire) Half cup of ground crayfish Maggi or knoor seasoning (3 cubes) Ogiri Dry fish (2 medium sizes) Stock fish head (1 big size) palm oil (about 25cl) Salt and pepper to taste Cocoa - yam (pounded) or 4 cups of Egusi (if you choose to make bitter leaf soup with egusi). The bittter leaf soup takes almost the same process as the making of uha soup, as a matter of fact, one pot of soup could be cooked up to the point of adding leaves the you divide it to add uha to one and bitter leaf to other. PREPARATION : To soften the leaves and further remove the bitter tatste, it is advisable to boil alone in ordinary water for 10 to 15 minutes, most people like to add a little quantity of edible potast to hasten this process. Parboil meat with every necessary ingredients, add the (hot-water) washed dry fish, stock fish and cook until it is tender, add more water then add palm oil, ground crayfish, pepper, maggi seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and allow boiling. At this point it should give a good soup taste (even though it would be watery). Then add the pounded cocoa yam (at this point you can add the ground egusi if you chooose to make bitter leaf soup with egusi), also add ogiri now. Cook till the cocoa yam dissolves, (this would likely take about ten minutes) then add the bitter leaves, stir, taste, add more salt if necessary the cook for three to two minutes. If have any question, ask in the comment box below.

How To Prepare Abacha (African Salad)

This meal is very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria. Most rural dwellers are very familiar with the whole process involved. The first thing to do is to (if you live in the village or you own a far) obtain cassava tubers, wash thoroughly and boil along with water for twenty to thirty minutes then pill to remove the brown outer layer, and cut to tiny bits. The sliced cassava is then soaked in water for 18 hours or more. The last thing to do would be to wash thoroughly with clean water then sun-dry and store in an airtight seal. Dried cassava chips can last more than a year if stored in an air tight dry environment. Here are all the ingredients that are needed for preparing Abacha (African Salad) whethes you are within or outside Nigeria. INGREDIENTS: 6 to 8 cups of Abacha Ehu 3 seeds (optional) 1 to 2 cups of Ugba (Ukpaka) Half cup of crayfish 1 to 2 cubes of maggi About 10cl of palm oil Edible powdered potash (1 teaspoon) Salt and pepper to taste 3 to 5 garden eggs (optional) Utazi leaves (optional) Garden egg leaves (optional) Meat/dry fish or stock fish (optional). PREPARATION Heat or soak the dry Abacha in boiled water for about three minutes, then sieve and keep on a separate bowl. Blend your crayfish and also slice the onions, garden egg leaves. It is advisable to dissolve the powdered potash in about 5 cl of clean water; this is a trick i employ just to easilz filter out unwanted solid materials that is often embedded in potash. Filter the dissolved potash in a mortar or pot, leaving out the residue. Add about 10cl of palm oil and stir to for yellowish paste, add the ground crayfish and pepper, stir, then add the ground ehu. Add the ugbato the mixture and stir, and then add the abacha, salt. It is advisable to heat the abacha just few second before you use so it doesn't get cold, as most people in Nigeria like their Abacha to be a little bit warm. Stir the whole combination and you are almost through with the preparation part. The garden eggs, the leaves and the onions are used mostly to spice up or for decoration purposes and not added during preparation, but while dishing out. They are often sliced and kept aside in different plates or bowls, then added while individual plates are dished out; this also goes for the meat or fish used. Taste the combination in the mortar or pot, if it is not as tasty as you desire, you may also want to turn on the cooker and heat for few minutes if it not as warm as you desire. Serve with the meat and also add the garden eggs (sliced) and leaves to individual plate, most people in the rural centres like to take African salad with palm wine. So get a bottle of palm wine or your favorite soft drink.

Africa And Intercontinental Dishes Special : How To Prepare Potato Beans Porridge

It is already a dampening season. The rains are threatening uncontrolled downpour. Mose of us are often left in a dilemma on which kind is best for the moment. Well, no need to think too far. Potatoes combined with beans can make you a very delicious porridge meal, although most people are used to yam. What?????? Potatoes combind with beans???? How on earth? Well, a trial would convince you. Either the Irish or sweet potato would do, but I suggest you use the swet type. After all, large potatoes are now in season, special thanks to the rain! Potatoes are nature's energy giver. They easily replace essential vitamins like vitamin A, B and C. Other minerals such iron, calcium, potassium as well as value protein and carbohydratte can be found in potatoes. They are also rich starch and saccharin sugar(especially the sweet ones), a good combination with beans can be an enjoyable, full-blown balanced diet. RECIPE FOR 4 SERVINGS 4 cups of beans (brown or white) 6 large potatoes (sweet) 1 whole ice or smoked fish 3 cooking spoons of ground crayfish 4 fresh pepper (blended) 1 big onion (sliced) 2 cooking spoons of palm oil Salt and seasoning to taste METHOD Select and wash the beans, pour into a sizeable pot and boil until tender. Peel,and wash the potatoes and add to the tender beans cut, wash and add the fish to the pot. Add enough salt and seasoning to taste, including the onion. Allow to cook until the potatoes are almost tender and add the palm oil, pepper and crayfish. Do not stir, just cover, simmer and leave to cook unti the potatoes are tender. Stir thoroughly; add any other ingredient you want. Please make sure you do not remove from heat until the oil is properly cooked and dissolves into porridge. Serve as beans porridge on cold chilly day as either breakfast or lunch! This meal is also very ideal for any growing child; the sugar content in the potatoes will compel any child to eat to his or her fill. So walk into your kitchen and use those potatoes and beans for this suptuous delicacy. Hmmm...Food is ready... Walks into your kitchen and prepare this suptuos meal...!

Africa and Intercontinental Dishes Special : How to prepare Summer Feed

Summer Feed is a collection of friends brought together by food, every one brings a dish, either a starter, main course or dessert plus drinks, serving spoons and extra containers to take leftovers home. INGREDIENTS ; 4 Duck breasts 2 Duck eggs 2 Bunches Pak choi blanched(cooked 1 min in boiling water) 2 cloves of crushed garlic 1 small piece of ginger finely chopped 1 bunch spring onions chopped 4 Frankfurter sausages(optional) Dark Soy Suce Dried or fresh noodles (I prefer Undon thick noodles) 2 tea spons Olive oil. METHOD Marinate Duck Breats with salt and pepper, more salt on the skin. Heat up a non stick frying pan, and without any fat or oil, place duck breast skin side down on the pan, for 2 - 3 mins, as the skin browns. Flip over and plae the whole pan in a preheated oven at 180 degrees to cook for 4 mins. Remove duck breats from pan and rest for at least 10mins,for all the juices to be reabsorbed into the duck meat, keep cooking juices in the pan separately. Meanwhile soft boil the duck eggs in salted boiling water (6mins for soft boiled, 7 minutes for hard boiled) remove and run cold water to stop cooking. In the salted water, add the noodles(coooking time is according to the packet instruction). In the duck frying pan, on medium heat, fry the chopped spring onion, garlic and ginger, add the blanched pal choi, soy sauce, and sommer with duck juices, toss in the cooked noodles.. Slice the duck breast onto 5 - 6 slices, add half a eunny duck egg, seasoned with sea salt and pepper, serve with noodles and pak choi.

Adavantages of Chilli Pepper

Chilli pepper is good for the obese and diabatics. Chilli peppers are available throughout the year to ass zest to dishes around the world and healty to those brave enough to risk their fiery heat. They are used widely as food enhancement (add more flavour to the diet). Chilli peppers are valued for their soothing effects on the digestive system, relief from symptoms of colds, sore throats and fevers, circulation, especially for cold hands and feet, and as a hangover remedy. They contain vitamins A, C, E, B6, K, potassium, calcium, manganes, phytochemicals such as lycopene and beta-carotene (the precursor for vitamin A), and plenty dietary fiber. They contain a substance called capsaicin, which gives peppers their characteristic pungencies, producing mild to intense spice when eaten. HEALTH BENEFITS : LOWER RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES Making chilli pepper a frequently enjoyed spice in your diet could help reduce your risk of hyperinsulinemia(high blood levels of insulin) - a disorder associated with type 2-diabetes. In a study published in the July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Australian researchers proved that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced,if themeal contains chili pepper. Good for the obese (excess fat in the body): It is low in carbohydrate and rich in fiber and provitamin A. Carbohydrate, especially refined ones, and fat are the major cause of obesity. It is an ideal vegetable to be included in weight reduction programme. NATURAL PAIN RELIEF FOR HEADACHES AND OSTEOARTHRITIS PAIN : Capsaicin in chilli pepperis being studied as an effective treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders,including pain associated with arthritis, pasoriasis and diabetic neuropathy. A lot of studies on pain management for diabetic neuropathy have listed the benefits of topical capsaicin to alleviate disabling pain associated with this condition. They also help in the elimination of mucus from the nose and lungs by clearing the sinuses and inducing sweating. PREVENTS/CURES STOMACH DISORDES : When eaten, works like aperitif that stimulates the flow of gastric juice.It is, therefore,recommended for those suffering from dyspepsia(indigestion and slow digestion) as a result of scanty digestive juicee. HELP IN CANCER PREVENTION ; They are rich ina nti oxidant vitamins(A and C), which protect and neutralise the effect of free radicals that causes cancer. CHILLI PEPPER ALSO HELPS IN : Reduction and risk of cardiovascular disease, Lowers elevated cholesterol, Cures Constipation and Boost Immunity.

Africa And Intercontinental Dishes Special : How to prepare Cherry Cake

Recipe : 1 cup of white sugar 1 cup of butter 2 eggs 1/2 cup of orange juice 2 cups of all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon of baking popowder 12 ounces of golden raisins 8 ounces halved glace cherries DIRECTIONS : Preheat oven to 300 degess F (150 degress C). Grease and line with parchment paper one 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cream butter or margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and baking powder. Reserve 1/3 cup of flour mixture and toss with raisins and cherries (this wll keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Add flour mixture to batter and blend. Add floured raisins and cherries to dough and mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees F (15m degrees C) for 2-1/2 hours. Don't serve until several days old. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or foil and store in a sealed can.

How to cook ofe Achara

Ofe Achara is a delicious soup that is common in Abia, Ebonyi and IMO states. It is special elephant grass-like plant that is usually shredded into tiny bits and chunks and cooked with egusi, achi or offor.
 Other important assorted ingredients usually go as accompaniment to make the soup tasty. The taste is better on your taste bud. Let's just go straight to the kitchen. Any swallow like akpu, fufu, pounded yam, or Eba can go with this soup.
 The already made shredded type can be bought in any market where soup things are sold around town in Nigeria. Just tell the woman 'Achara'.
Recipe for serving:
2 cups of shredded already made achara leaves
2 cooking spoons of palm oil
Seasoning and salt to taste
2 cups ground egusi(melon)
1 kilogram offals (assorted meat)
5 big snails
1 large stockfish
2 large mangala or okpo fish (cleaned)
3 table spoons ground crayfish
3 fresh Cameroon pepper
1 bunch of okazi leaves or A handful of shredded of bitter leaves

METHOD
 Wash, season and cook the meat, fish and stockfish with salt and season for 40 minutes. Cut the achara leaves as normal, wash and add to the pot. Add the cleaned snail (clean with alum or lime) and allow boiling for ten minutes.
Pour it into the cooked meat stock, then stir and add the pepper, palm oil and ground egusi. Allow to cook for few minutes, taste for salt and simmer for few minute before adding the shredded okazi leaves or bitter leaves, cook for 2 minutes and serve with fufu, Eba or pounded yam.