Recently we had a huge wedding ceremony in my family- it was an interracial one. My first cousin Tokunbo got wedded to her hubby Tommy Hill Mcgrail. We were all excited, I was overwhelmed because it was the first of its kind in my family: and I was open to learn new things, meet new people but most importantly the family was expanding and not limited to the Yoruba clan thingy. On one Sunday morning, My in-law decided to give us a treat on some Nigerian meals he had learnt while we visited, Trust me we were mesmerized at his culinary skills. According to Tommy, He learnt 5 easy-to-cook Nigerian healthy and nutritious meals. They include:
Nigerian Jollof Rice
This is a favourite any day! It is one of the most tasty and easy to cook meals. The taste is guaranteed whether served cold or hot. To prepare a meal of Jollof rice, you need-
Some Chicken / Beef
1 cup of rice
Blended tomatoes and pepper
Onions
Spices
Groundnut oil.
This will take about 30-45 minutes to cook. A taste of the Nigerian Jollof will see you craving for more.
Okro Soup
This is considered the easiest to cook. It can be locally referred to as Ofe okwuru in ibo, or Obe ila in Yoruba. This soup can be made to be eaten alone or eaten with any Nigerian swallow (Eba, Semo, Amala, Fufu, Pounded yam etc). To make this meal, the following ingredients are required-
Some Okro
Stock fish/ Dried fish/ Smoked fish
Meat (beef, chicken, turkey, etc)/ Fresh fish ( as you desire)
Spices
Palm oil
Cray fish
Pepper
Yam and Garden Egg Sauce
Yam is easy to cook. All you have to do is to get a tuber (or any quantity you desire), slice, peel the yam and you can cook. Using the garden egg instead of the chicken laid eggs makes it tasty, indigenous and more nutritious. Eating with garden egg is more hygienic.
To make the garden egg sauce, any type of garden egg available will do. Ingredients needed include-
Yam
Garden eggs
Palm oil
Onion,
Sausages
Fish
Pepper
Spices.
Quick to prepare and effective for healthy living.
Moi Moi
Tommy says this is as simple as ABC. So long you have your blended beans with pepper. Moi-Moi is almost ready. Moi-moi can be garnished with eggs or fish. It can also be eaten alone or with bread, rice, custard, ogi etc. A meal high in protein, nutritious and delicious. Ingredients needed include-
Beans
Onions,
Red bell pepper (Tatashe)
Scotch bonnet pepper (ata rodo)
Crayfish
Groundnut oil
Spices
Noodles
This is the simplest of them all. Once you have your boiling water ready, open the packs of noodles and empty the content into the boiling water. Can be prepared with carrots, green peas, sweet corn etc. Several brands of noodles exist: Indomie, Golden penny, Honey well etc. Very delicious, and easy to cook. To prepare a meal of noodles, you need-
Packs of noodles
Onions
Pepper
Carrot
Green peas
Meat/Fish/Chicken (as you desire)
Spices
There you have it! 5 easy to prepare meals not just for foreigners but for all who are in-love with the Nigerian dishes and would love to try it out. These meals will see you craving for more.
