Fish yam pepper soup (Azu ji ofe ose ọ rura) Yam in Igbo language is called “ji”. Each year, yam is celebrated by Igbo people; the celebration which is known as “iri ji” or “new yam festival.” This is because of its vital importance to Igbo land. It is believed that if a new yam is celebrated, the subsequent year will be productive. Thus, yam is one of the best foods in Igbo land. Yam can be prepared in so many ways. However, in this topic, it is about ‘Yam Served with Fish Pepper Soup’. Yam with fish pepper soup can be used as a starter of a meal whether lunch, dinner, etc., although not suitable for breakfast due its peppery nature. Peppery soup wouldn’t be good stuff to start early morning with, though akara na akamu may be contrived to serve this purpose. According to Chinelo’s article in the Guardian, she said “Yam served with fish pepper soup provides high-energy and abundant calories. It is rich in complex carbohydrate, protein from fish used in preparing the fish pepper soup, omega-3 fatty acid (harmless fat that is good for healthy heart and nourishing the skin), vitamins B1, B6 and C. It is also rich in other nutrients such as manganese, potassium and dietary fibre.” She goes on saying “each nutrient in this recipe plays a vital role in the body to promote good health. The high complex carbohydrates and soluble dietary content of this dish makes it ideal food for those that want to prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, overweight/obesity, diabetes and bad or low-density lipoprotein.” “Research has shown that fibre benefit health in several different ways such as alleviating constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, preventing cancer and regulating blood sugar.” And advised that “consumption of yam and fish pepper soup is recommended for people who want healthy heart, prevent cancer, diabetes and constipation. It is an ideal food for those that want to age gracefully, boost immune function, quick wound healing and bone growth due to its high vitamin C content. Take yam served with fish pepper after fast today and you will be happy and be satisfied.” There you have it, yam fish pepper soup gives you much more than you thought. And you thought yam is a mere ordinary and pepper soup is similarly ordinary, but with both of them combine they give you much more than you contemplated. There are two ways of cooking yam fish pepper soup: you can either cook pepper soup separately and as well as cooking yam separately, then finally mix the two together to form “yam fish pepper soup.” In addition to that, the other way is to cook everything together. Even though the two versions may taste different. Nkwobi Have you ever tasted Nkwobi, a well-liked nourishment in Igbo land? If you have not, please take this from me today and taste it, you will have many stories to tell us about the pleasant taste and the health benefits of this gastronomy. Nkwobi is an Igbo name for spicy cow, goat or sheep legs prepared and served in rich chilly palmy gravy source. It is a real favourite amongst other foods, that are well known to consume peppery foods, flavoured with chillies and various spices. Nkwobi is a serious food in Igbo land. Nobody jokes with Nkwobi because it is an expensive food that cannot be wasted. Such a food as nkwobi took a great care and effort for its preparation. Despite that fact, consuming it should be superlatively digested with gratification well enough to reach those body parts that are yearning for nkwobi. Nkwobi can be made with cow meat which incorporates the main ingredient cow foot. On the other hand, many routinely use other meat like goat, sheep, etc., as upshot; substituting, otherwise goat meat or goat foot can be utilised. The cow or goat foot can be cut into pieces, mixed with spicy such as the mixture of peppers, onions, crayfish and other preferred seasoning, to boil the meat. On the contrary many use acidic liquids that can make the cow foot softer and, in many cases, supplement the flavour of nkwobi. According to some chefs adding citrus juice like lemon, lime, or pineapple will improve it. Also try adding vinegar to nkwobi, it doesn’t matter the type of vinegar added but will certainly improve it very much. Adding wine especially red wine will be an appropriate cream of the crop given the fact that it includes tannic acid. Fried plantain and nkwobi Fried plantain with nkwobi or as many people will translate it in Igbo to be ”Ọgede ojoko e ghere eghe na nkwobi.“ Fried plantain with nkwobi is very delicious and it can be consumed in the afternoon, evening or at night. Nkwobi can be prepared as mentioned above and can be added with fried plantain. Fried plantain prepared as mentioned above can be added to nkwobi. Fried plantain (Ọgede ojoko e ghere eghe) When you eat plantain for the first time, you will be longing to eat more. I remembered moving out of my parent house to this Greek man’s house as my landlord. He came into the kitchen and saw me frying plantain. The Greek man said to me “what’s that?". I said “plantain, try some.” He took some and ate it. He asked me where did you get it from? “I bought from a shop” I said. The following day he called me and said, “I got plantains, lets start frying and eating.” When I looked into the bag, he must have got about twenty plantains in the bag. When the Greek man ate some of the fried plantain, he enjoyed it so much that he must have to buy a bag full. Although you can eat as much as you like with plantain, care should be taken not to eat too much as they are too fattening. Most children and even adults around the world love eating fried plantain because of their taste, they taste so good. Fried plantain has carbohydrate, fat as the prominent nutrients. It also contains significant amount of vitamin A, C, B1, B2, E, potassium, calcium, iron, fibre and magnesium. Appropriately fried plantain has some health benefits when consumed in moderation and can be detrimental to health when consumed in superfluous. Thinly people who desperately want to put on weight can benefit from eating fried plantain because of its high fat and carbohydrate content. Moreover, vitamins like vitamin C and B- complex present in plantain help in proper absorption of this carbohydrate, which in return facilitates gaining of weight. It is give and take as fried plantain, mostly the unripe type is an excellent food for diabetics because it contains little amount of carbohydrate which is absorbed slowly and does not produce a sharp rise in blood glucose (sugar) level. It is good to take fried plantain in moderation because over- indulgence or eating it in excess can cause so many health problems like indigestion, cardiovascular disease (arteriosclerosis, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia), obesity and some forms of cancer due to its high fat/oil content. Akamu Akamu is made from corn squeezed or blended liquid. Akamu is normally drank using spoon, eaten during breakfast. It is consumed the same way as oat porridge. The same way custard is feasted using spoon to ingest it. Akamu is lovely when consumed together with fried plantain. Some people normally munch fried plantain alongside of drinking akamu for a delightful breakfast porridge. Egusi soup and pounded yam (ofe egusi na ji utara) Egusi soup served with pounded yam is one of the best meals any Igbo person will be thankful to eat. Egusi soup is prepared with many ingredients but egusi being the main constituent. Egusi soup can be made to be thick or light. The thicker of egusi soup, the more appetising and enhanced appealing it will look, in addition become desiring to eat. Egusi soup with pounded yam, one could image how it will slide gently from your mouth down to your throat and quietly into your stomach. As mentioned once again, yam in Igbo language is called “ji”. Annually, yam is celebrated by Igbo people; the celebration which is known as “iri ji” or “new yam festival”, this is to show the importance of yam in Igbo land. Igbo people have faith that when a new yam is celebrated, the coming year’s yam farming will be favourable. Thus, whether yam is pounded, boiled, fried, porridge or grounded, it is one of the best foods in Igbo land. Sometimes we take some of these foods for granted because we eat it all the time and we forget how significant it is. One day I was surprised when my niece at University of Hartfordshire called me on a phone complaining about her mother. She said “I have been at the University for six months now, and coming home, I always looking forward for egusi soup, instead my mother will make agbono soup, my mother knows that I don’t like agbono soup and she still makes it. I was thinking that my mother would at least make egusi soup for me knowing that I am coming back on holiday today.” I then reassured her that I will tell her mother to be making egusi soup for her whenever she is coming back from the university on holiday. Egusi soup with pounded yam is a plate of dish that both young and old could appreciate. In Igbo land, egusi soup served with pounded yam is everybody’s favourite and the dish is highly nutritious with health benefits. Egusi soup serves as an excellent source of protein, vitamins, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc, according to our dear cook. She goes on to that “egusi (melon seed), the main ingredient of this recipe has many medicinal values due to its high oil content. Study has showed that egusi seed contains considerable amount of oil and it has protective effect against coronary heart diseases. Egusi soup consumption helps to fight against infections, promotes healthy heart, skin, nails, and nerves; and helps in quick wound healing. Fibre from the vegetables used in this soup preparation helps in prevention and treatment of constipation. Take this soup with pounded yam and enjoy all its health benefits.” Jollof rice (Osikapa/urosi) Jollof rice is nothing out of the ordinary, normally food made of rice, frequently prepared with long grain rice that taste deliciously fine that are consumed all over West Africa. Jollof rice is one of the nourishing foods consumed in Igbo land although jollof rice is very well-liked nourishment in West Africa on the contrary extending to all over the world due to attentiveness given by big food companies like Uncle Ben, Mc Donald’s, Mr Biggs, etc. The beauty of jollof rice is that you can add whatever you want to it during cooking to taste delicious or to your desiring taste. Jollof rice cooked in Igbo land may taste different to those cooked in places like Ghana or Senegal due different ingredients used to cooked them. Even though that jollof rice is very easy to prepare but care should be taken for the taste to come out right. With too many ingredients it may taste funny but with right ingredients it will taste just right. The trick of getting the right taste of jollof rice is that halfway during cooking, you should be tasting it, if you put too much salt, pepper, tomato, etc., all you do is to put more water and drain some of the water away to taste right. Ona In Ogoni language, this is called “Tuu” and in Igbo speaking Biafran, they call it “Ona”. Tuu or Ona is similar to Yam although yellowish and much softer than yam when cooked. It is eaten the same way as yam with sauce normally hot or chili sauce that may require drinking plenty water or wine. Being special, tuu or ona cannot be seen at a restaurant or snack bar to buy however served by old ladies or grandmothers to their children or grandchildren they haven’t seen for a long time. One many reasons of visiting grandmothers. Travel round Biafra regions they cultivate and eat this delicacy. Now can any Fulani Man tell us, if this delicacy is part of their traditional Meal? We can't run away from the True Identity because, Nature has exposed it through our Value system. I hail from a place they tag Niger Delta because, Crude Oil was found in my State. Surprise.. Surprise.. There is no trace of Industry or an International Airport in any Old Eastern region. What we see are glorified Motor Parks that we call Airports. This economic strangulating preposterous plan, was orchestrated by the Hausa/Fulani Power mongers, so to limit progress and International inspired development. The Headquarters of most Oil Companies in the today's NigerDelta region is situated in Lagos and Abuja, whilst the regions that serves as Treasure Base Of Nigeria are left with Uncleaned Oil Spills. Atlantic Ocean cuts through leaving us with Depthy Seas and Rivers, yet there is no functional Sea Port in the today's Niger Delta region. The Divide And Rule tactics has been implanted to destroy the Old Eastern region, yet our Value system remains the same. We ain't pleading everyone should join the Boat to Biafra restoration because, our common enemies are not ready to stop destroying our lives and properties. I am saying today that, no mortal can stop the restoration of Biafra which is spiritually anchored, hence the earlier you rise up to take this generational assignment for freedom, the better for you. Ibeh Gift Amarachi. Yam Pepper Soup (Ose Ji Mmiri Oku) There are many varieties of yam pepper soup. Depending on the person making it, there are considerations ask to those going to be having the yam pepper soup. If the people going to have the yam pepper soup are all mainly adult, in this case, it is likely to be a lot of pepper included in the soup. If there will be a lot of children having the yam pepper soup, in that case there will be less pepper added in the yam pepper soup. They say when an adult eat pepper, you don’t have to remind him to drink water. But when a child eat pepper, you do have to remind the child to drink some water. Saying this, it is a common practice that when a new baby or after childbirth, the nursing mother would consume yam pepper soup before any other food is consumed. Accordingly, yam pepper soup is prepared with a blend of medicinal spices like uziza (West African pepper), ehuru (calabash nutmeg) and uda (African Negro pepper). As a result, these are intended to make them easier to flush any lochia (normal vaginal discharges after birth), which may cause puffiness in the face and legs. Feeding on or consuming yam pepper soup supports to dilate blood vessels, cleanse the system and burn excess fat that accumulates during pregnancy. It is an ideal food for those affected by blood loss as a result of childbirth. Those that want to prevent heart attack can also benefit from this nutritious food as studies have shown that high intake of foods like yam that contain vitamin B6 and potassium help to reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, preliminary research suggests that Dioscuri (a storage protein contained in yam) can reduce blood pressure. Yam’s complex carbohydrates and fibre make this dish an ideal food for mothers that want to maintain an ideal weight and avoid getting overweight after delivery. Stockfish soup (Ofe okporoko) Ofe okporoko or as it would be translated in English language as a “stockfish soup.” Those who haven’t tried a stockfish soup is missing a lot. Ofe okporoko or stockfish soup is very expensive to make. It is exceedingly very nutritious. It tastes very delicious especially if it is your first time in trying it out. Besides, not everybody can afford to cook it or buy it at the restaurant. If it is your first time in trying or eating stockfish soup with swallow or fufu, at that moment, you are most likely to be put off by its smell. Stockfish smells very bad indeed, even after eating it, the smell still stick in your clothes and even in your body. Some people going to eat stockfish will normally carry a small scent, perfume or after shave with them so that they will apply it on themselves after finish eating. At the same time, those cooking stockfish normally use onions or other means to control the smell of stockfish otherwise the whole house will be smelling for days. On level pegging, the stockfish that aforementioned has been imported all the way from Norway to Igbo land will accumulate duties before reaching Igbo land, it will no longer be cheap to buy but expensive. Igbo land don’t harvest or catch and dry stockfish. They do all that in Norway and export them to our land. All we know is to eat them, though other ingredients used or found in stockfish soup are locally produced like okra and other vegetables including mixture of small meat, snails, and seasonings. Fish pepper soup (Azu ofe ose ọ rura) Azu ofe ose ọ rura or also known as “fish pepper soup”. Fish pepper soup is made specially for those longing for a real flavour of fish and pepper soup. The flavour of a real fish can only occur by cooking the fish together with all ingredients to simmer thoroughly. Even though many people normally cook the fish first and then use the cooked fish juice to make the pepper soup, and then adding the fish to soup. Fish pepper soup should be a peppery dish that those yearning for fish pepper soup should appreciate. It requires all fish pepper soup ingredients like dry or fresh pepper, crushed seeds, onions, crayfish, utazi leaves, scent leaves, uziza leaves, Maggi Cubes, etc. At the present time, there are certain pepper soup’s ingredients or spices which has been already mixed. It is absolutely possible that you can buy them in packets that has been prepared already, and perhaps all you do is to mix it with water and pour onto the fish and start cooking. And when ready, start to share and eat. Food Soup (Ofe nri) All Igbo food soups used for swallow, fufu (utara) etc., are made similarly the same way. For such food soups as bitter leaf soup, egusi soup (ofe egusi, ofe ogbono, ofe uziza, ofe ukazi, ofe oha, etc) are cooked or made with similar ingredients. Almost all food soups include palm oil, to taste really good, most people add grounded crayfish. Depending on how they want the food soup to taste, they may add such vegetable as oha, greens, spinach, bitter leaf, okazi or pumpkin leaves. Be determined by the amount of people cooking for will establish the amount of food soup required. If a lot of people is going to be eating the food will determine the amount of ingredients and perhaps every ingredient will be quadrupled in number. The splendour or taste of food soup hinges on the amount of ingredients used to prepare the soup. Thus, a husband who wants the wife to prepare an enjoyable or satisfying soup, must be able to fork out enough money to cover all generous ingredients needed for such soup. Akara Akara is made using bean’s flour. It is very tasty and delicious that could make anyone consume more than necessary. Akara can be eaten on its own, usually consumed at any time as a snack. However, many people eat it with akamu or with drinking coffee and in this case it may be used as breakfast. Many people also use akara in conjunction with many other things such as eating bread, drinking tea, gari, win, etc. Akara is a low-cost meal or snack, with it anyone can quench hunger for a short period. For the reason that akara can be eaten while it is hot or cold, it is suitable for consumption anywhere, at any time. In addition to using it specifically to eat bread is one of best ways of using it to staple or put off hunger. Akara looks similar to puff-puff, banana fritters or dumpling, and it can be mistaken as such. Akara is made in similar way of making moi moi, whereby black eye beans are soaked for a while, their skins or coats are removed and grounded or blended with different ingredients like onion, chilli powder or pepper, salt, water, egg, seasoning, etc. If it is to make moi moi, the grounded or blended beans’ paste or pottage should be slightly soft and thin enough to be boiled for them to raise while boiling. And for akara, the grounded or blended beans’ paste or pottage should be a bit solid for frying otherwise will evaporate to small bread crumps. Even though the procedure of making akara will seem confusing or difficult but in reality, it is very simple once the art is mastered. Therefore, once you have made some few akara, the process will be comprehended and you will start enjoying akara. Akara can be bought anywhere along the street, shops, restaurants, markets, etc. Really you don’t need to make to eat them. Akamu Akamu is made from corn squeezed or blended liquid. Akamu is normally drank using spoon, eaten during breakfast. It is consumed the same way as oat porridge. The same way custard is feasted using spoon to ingest it. Akamu is lovely when consumed together with akara for breakfast. Thus, many people normally munch akara alongside of drinking akamu, coffee or tea for a delightful breakfast. Yam porridge (Ji agwro agwo) Ji agwro agwo which some people may call “yam porridge.” Yam porridge is not limited to any time of the day; thus, it can be eaten at any time of the day – be it morning, afternoon or night. Although it might be too heavy for the stomach very early in the morning. Yam porridge is normally boiled yam mixed with vegetables and other different ingredients including palm oil, or any oil, onions, crayfish, seasoning, meat or fish, etc. To make the yam porridge more appetising, the yam should be over boiled instead of mashing the yam. Mashing up the yam may make the yam porridge look questionable especially if it had been ordered at a restaurant. Mashing up the yam may make it feel like a pounded yam powder mixed together with ingredients to serve as yam porridge. Thus, yam porridge must look genuine like the one in the picture just to be on the safe side. Continue>>>>

Igbo Foods