Egusi Soup in nigeria

Egusi Soup in nigeria is like burger in the US or Noodles in China, this is so simply because everyone in Nigeria eats egusi soup.

Outlined below is a classic recipe on preparing egusi soup that all nigerian desire and relish.

INGREDIENTS

Meat or fish (about 1 kg)
2 tomatoes
1 onion
4 peppers
2 magi cubes
Cooking oil
1 cup of ground egusi
2 cups or one medium branch of spinach.
Salt
Water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil the meat or fish until it is tender, and keep it aside.
2. Chop the spinach if required.
3. Ground the tomatoes, peppers and onions together (you will need to add some water).
4. Place in a pot, add the meat, and the magi cubes, and about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and the ground egusi, and the chopped spinach.
5. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Add salt and ground pepper to taste.

Eat with any of the dishes that have 'soup' with them.

How to make puff puff

What you need for Makes 40-60 balls

2 cups (or about ½ liter) flour
2 cups (or about ½ liter) water
½ cup (or about an eighth of a liter) sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
Some vegetable oil

How to Prepare Puff Puff

1. Mix the flour, sugar, water, and yeast together until the batter is smooth.
2. Wait until the dough has risen. About 2½ hours or so should do. (I've heard that if you use quick-rising yeast, you don't have to wait, but I have not tried it yet.)
3. Put vegetable oil into a pot, until it is at least 2 inches (or about 5 centimeters) high (too little will result in flatter balls), and place on low heat.
4. Test to make sure the oil is hot enough by putting a 'drop' of batter into the oil. If it is not hot enough, the batter will stay at the bottom of the pot rather than rising to the top.
5. When the oil is hot enough, use a spoon to dish up the batter, and another spoon or spatula to drop it in the oil, sort of in the shape of a ball.
6. Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown.
7. Turn the ball over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
8. Use a large spoon or something like that to take it out of the oil. I usually place them on napkins right away to soak up some of the excess oil.
9. If desired, you can roll the finished product in table sugar or powdered sugar to make it sweeter.

Courtesy: Motherland Africa

Edikang Ikong Soup - African Dish

EDIKANG IKONG SOUP serves 4

Well famous Nigerian soup, particularly indigenous to the Efiks and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated amongst connoisseurs and lovers of good food all over the country. There are many myths attached to this superb soup but as you can see from the recipe given, it is only a simple vegetable soup.

I kg / 21b assorted meats (beef, oxtail, tripe, ponmo, bokoto & bushmeat)
4 snails (washed with lemon and limes)
450g / llb stockfish (pre-soaked)
450g / llb dry fish ( thoroughly washed)
450g/ llb periwinkles (top & tail)
22 5 § / 8oz whole dry prawns (cleaned)
225g / 8oz ground crayfish
I medium onion
1.35kg/3 lb fresh ugwu/pumpkin leaves (washed & shredded)
I kg /21b fresh waterleaf (prepared and washed)
200ml palmoil
600ml / lpt stock
salt to taste

Wash the meat thoroughly and place in a large pot. Add some sliced onions, ground chillies and some stock. Place on heat and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the snail from shells and wash, rubbing with lime or lemon juice to remove slime. Wash the smoked dry fish with salt and soak in slightly salted eater for 5 minutes to kill any insect and loosen any sand or girt.

Rinse thoroughly with lots of cold water. Top and tail the periwinkles and wash thoroughly. Add the snails, stockfish, dry fish,dry prawns and periwinkles to the pot of meat and cook for a further 10 minutes, adding more stock if required. Finally add the shredded ugwu / pumpkin leaves and waterleaf, mix in properly. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes and add the crayfish and palmoil.

Give it a good stir and gently simmer for another 10 minutes until well blended and the aroma fills the kitchen. Remove from heat and serve hot with Fufu or pounded yam.

Courtesy of Laura Edet

Akara - African Bean balls/Cake recipe

Ingredients

500g/llb beans
1 onion
3 fresh pepper
warm water for mixing
oil for frying
salt to taste

Method

Soak beans for 5 minutes and wash thoroughly to remove skin. Grind or liquidize until smooth. Place in a large bowl season with salt and beat in the warm water a little at a time to make it light. Fold in the slices onions and mix with a metal spoon to avoid letting out the air which has been beaten in to the mixture. Heat the oil until a blue faint smoke appears, spoon the mixture into the oil to forn balls and fry until golden brown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.Serve hot with chilli sauce.