NIGERIAN RECIPES YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT AND HOW TO PREPARE THEM ON YOUR OWN

Bole and Fish

BOLE AND FISH

Port Harcourt’s Bole and fish is a balanced diet we recommend to every visitor to Port Harcourt. With its nourishing ingredients, everybody can eat bole and fish, and if you have ever visited the city without tasting it, you have definitely missed a vital part of Port Harcourt.

Ingredients for preparing Bole and Fish in Port Harcourt

Plantain (unripe, half ripe and unripe)

Fish (Jumbo fish)

Palm oil (Tasteless)

Fresh tomatoes

Fresh pepper

Ginger

Seasoning cubes

Onions

Salt

Utazi leaves

UGBA

Ugba (Oil Bean Seed) is native to Eastern Nigeria, Ugba undergoes extensive fermentation before it is considered edible. This recipe is a Modern spin on the traditional dish, the use of parsley gives it a fresh taste

Ingredients

2-3 dried stockfish (Okporoko, panla) pieces

1 cup Ukpaka (Anambra); Ugba (Imo)

1 Tablespoon Ground dried pepper

2 tablespoon Crayfish

Onion (1 Medium size) chopped

2 Seasoning cube (Maggi, Knorr,)

½ tspn Akanwu (Cooking potash)

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon Ogili (Fermented Locust beans)

2/3 cup Palm oil

PREPARATION

Soak the dried stock fish in water for 2-3 hours (overnight preferably).

Combine the already soaked fish, 3-4 cups of water, pepper, crayfish, seasoning cube and salt in a pot

Cover on medium heat and cook for about 2 hours or until the fish is very tender. add more water if needed.

When the fish is cooked and very tender, take a wooden spoon and separate the fish into tiny little bits.

Let it cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Add the Ukpaka (ugba), simmer for 10mins

Add the akanwu next, let it dissolve, takes about 2-5 minutes.

Add palm oil and ogili. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and its ready!

Photo Credit: Allnigeriarecipes.com

ABACHA NCHA AND UGBA/UKPAKA (AFRICAN SALAD)

African Salad, also known as Abacha Ncha is one of the most popular eastern Nigeria side dishes.

It is made with dried shredded cassava (Abacha) and fermented oil bean seeds (Ugba or Ukpaka).

Ingredients

600g abacha

2 cups ugba (ukpaka)

1 cup palm oil

2 tablespoons Powdered Potash

Fish (Mackerel/Dry Fish/Stockfish), spiced and cooked

1 large Onion, chopped

Salt and dry pepper (to taste)

4 tablespoons ground crayfish

2 stock cubes (Maggi/Knorr)

1 teaspoon ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)

Boiling water

Optional ingredients

1 teaspoon Ogiri / Iru

Fresh Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium),

Ponmo, cooked and sliced

6 Garden Eggs, diced

Garden Egg leaves, finely chopped

1 medium onion (for serving), sliced

PREPARATION

Soak the abacha in cold water for about 10 minutes until it softens.

Drain out the cold water, pour boiling water over it and quickly drain out the water. Rinse the ugba/ukpaka in warm water and set aside.

Let it sit in a colander for about 5 minutes.

Dissolve the potash in water and sieve out the water, then stir the potash water with the palm oil in a pot. It will form a yellowish paste.

Place on heat and add the ground ehu, pepper, crayfish and seasoning.

Stir properly then add the ground ehu, crushed stock cubes, crayfish, diced onions, and ugba/ukpaka. Take off the heat.

Add the ogiri and mix properly, then add the fish and ponmo.

Add the abacha and mix properly allowing all the ingredients to blend.

Add sliced utazi and salt to taste.

Garnish with chopped garden egg leaves and sliced onions. You can eat abacha cold or warm depending on how you like it.

Feel free to play around with the ingredients until you get the perfect taste you desire.

Photo Credit: Chinny's Kichen

UKWA ( AFRICAN BREAD FRUIT)

African breadfruit known as ukwa by the igbo speaking tribe in nigeria is also called afon in Yoruba; ize in Benin, Jekri and Sobo; izea in Ijaw; and ediang in Efik. is the seed of the African Breadfruit “Treculia Africana“, though it’s similar to the Breadfruit eaten in the Caribbean and South Pacific, but still quite different. African breadfruit is composed of about 10% fat primarily unsaturated fat (the good fat), 12-15% protein, 25% carbohydrates with 2% fiber. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene, vitamin c, and folic acid (folate). With only about 240 kcal in this serving amount, it is very beneficial for athletes and gym goers as a pre or post-workout meal.

Ingredients

700g African Breadfruit

2 medium dry fish

2 small stock cubes

7g edible potash

Palm oil (enough to colour)

5-6 fresh bitter leaves

Pepper & Salt (to taste)

Common additions to Breadfruit Porridge:

White Puna yam

Corn/Maize, you can also use sweet corn

Before you cook the Ukwa