NKWOBI

Who says you cant make your own home made Nkwobi right from the comfort of your kitchen! Made with cooked cow foot mixed in spicy palm oil paste.

INGREDIENTS

• Cow foot (cut into sizeable pieces)
• Palm Oil
• 1 tablespoon powdered edible potash (Akanwu/Kaun/Keun)
• 1 teaspoon ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• Habanero Pepper (Atarodo)
• 1 medium onion
• seasoning cubes
• Salt (to taste)
• Onion & Utazi leaves (For garnishing)

• PREPARATION METHOD

  • Cow foot meat is quite tough, using a pressure cooker is advised to help you save your gas/ electricity. The cow foot should be cut into medium chunks when buying.
  • Put the powdered potash into a bowl. Add a small quantity of water (about 4 table spoons) and stir well. Pass it through a fine sieve and set the liquid aside.
  • Cut 1 onion into 4 big chunks, Pound the pepper with a mortar and pestle. Grind the crayfish, Crack and remove the outer shell of the ehu then grind with a dry mill.
  • Wash and put the cow foot chunks in a pot, Add your seasoning cubes (crushed) & the chunks of onion.
  • Add a small quantity of water and start cooking at medium heat till well cooked. Add just enough water to prevent burning as you cook. There should not be any stock (water) in the pot when the meat is done.
  • While the meat is cooking, pour the palm oil into a clean dry pot, Pour in the potash mixture (sieved) into the oil.
  • Stir with a wooden spatula as you pour the potash. You'll notice the palm oil would begin to curdle and turn yellow.
  • Keep stiring till all the oil has turned yellow, Add the ground crayfish, pepper and ehu seeds. Stir very well till they are all incorporated.
  • When the meat is done, add salt, stir and cook till all the water has dried. Add the well done cow foot to the palm oil paste and stir very well with the wooden spat.
  • Put it back on the stove/cooker and heat till the Nkwobi is piping hot. Keep stirring it to ensure it does not burn.
  • To prepare the garnish, cut the onions into rings and cut the utazi leaves into long thin slices. Serve the Nkwobi in a wooden mortar (if you have one at home) or you can serve nicely in a plate.
  • Add the thin slices of the utazi leaves & onion rings on top for the full effects. Your Nkwobi is ready!
  • This meal can be best served with a nice chilled glass of juice.

Ofada Rice And Beef Sauce

Ofada rice is a locally produced type of rice which comes with a unique aroma and flavor. Best served with Ofada sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 Cooking Spoons of Palmoil
• 12 Red scotch bonnet pepper(Ata rodo)
• 1 Green bell pepper
• 2 Heaped tbsp of Locust beans (Iru)
• 500g Assorted meat,500g Beef (Red meat)
• Crayfish: 3 tbsp. Ground
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 Knorr cubes
• 500g Ofada Rice
• 3 (Red Bell pepper a.k.a Tatashey)
• Salt to taste

Preparation Method

• Rinse the Beef and Assorted meat with clean water and dice into small bits, place in a medium sized pot. Add the seasoning cubes, Salt to taste, diced onion and 2-3 cups of water. Leave to cook till tender for about 30 mins. Set aside.
• Remove the seeds from the Red bell pepper. Wash all the Red bell pepper thoroughly with clean water including the Red Scotch bonnet (Ata Rodo) and place in a blender. Blend partly rough.
• Pour the pepper puree in an empty pot and cook till all the liquid evaporates leaving the puree concentrated puree. Set aside.
• Before cooking Ofada rice, remove the stones. Wash the sorted rice severally with clean water and place in a small pot. Add some water just enough to cover the rice. Parboil for 10 mins and turn out into a clean bowl.
• Wash the parboiled rice with clean water and turn back into the pot. Add some salt and clean water- Boil till the rice softens.
• An empty medium sized pot, Heat the palmoil for about 10-13minutes. This process is known as bleaching. Bleaching is best done in a ventilated kitchen.
• Add the pepper puree and Iru and stir fry for 5 minutes
• Add the assorted meat stock including the Assorted meat and beef, Crayfish (Whole and ground). Taste to see if you need some more salt, Stir and cover the pot. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Basmati Jollof Rice with Shredded Chicken

Basmati Jollof Rice with Shredded Chicken

Take your Jollof rice to the next level with Basmati rice. This dish pairs perfectly with the Shredded Chicken!

Ingredients

• Oil
• Chicken breast, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Ground paprika
• Knorr chicken cubes
• Crushed chilli flakes
• Basmati rice
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• Water
• Chopped spring onion
• Ground black pepper

Preparation Method

• Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until lightly browned
• Add the green pepper, and fry for 2 minutes
• In a separate pan, fry the chicken, paprika, chilli flakes and ½ crumbled KNORR cubes.
• Set aside
• To the fried onion and pepper, add the chopped tomatoes, water, rest of the cubes and black pepper, basmati rice, stir well, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
• Stir in the shredded chicken and chopped spring onion and serve with salad

Jollof Rice

Next time you run out of meal ideas, prepare a tasty meal of Jollof rice. To get the unique taste of jollof rice, ensure you add the stock of the chicken or beef.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of rice
• 2 kg of Chicken (chicken, beef or meat)
• 1 cup of crayfish (optional)
• 1 to 1.2 liter of Ground Fresh tomatoes
• 40 to 100 ml Ground Fresh peppers
• Spices (Curry, Thyme, Delice or Nutmeg)
• 2 cubes of knorr
• 2 Bulbs of onions
• 20 to 30 cl vegetable or Groundnut oil
• Salt to taste.

Preparation Method

• Parboil the chicken (or any meat of your choice) with the spices listed above and then prepare the main food with the meat extract (meat water) with very little or no extra spice. Add water so that more than half of the entire chicken (or meat of choice) is submerged, then add sliced 1 bulb of onions, 3 cubes of knorr, one tea spoon of salt and maybe a little of curry, thyme and (or) spice of choice.
• Parboil the rice the normal way, boil about three cups of water in a pot, add the four cups of rice and allow to cook for three to four minutes. Then pour out and wash thoroughly with clean water then set aside in a bowl or plastic sieve.
• Bring out an empty pot and then add sliced onions to the hot oil and then the ground tomatoes/pepper after about a minute. This is s trick that helps reduce burning, most jollof rice end up getting burned at the bottom of the pot
• So divide the tomatoes and commence cooking with one of the halves in the pot, add the meat extract (meat water), then about 1 or 2 cups of water. add the ground crayfish (if you are using crayfish), a cube of knorr, if the meat stock is not a good as desired, add salt to taste.
• Stir .
• Spice to your taste with your desired flavors and spices, then add the rice, lower the heat and cover to cook. You can add the other half of the fried tomatoes after cooking for ten to fifteen minutes, also slice onions and spray at the top.
• Then just cook till the rice is soft for consumption, Remember that you can add water occasionally. Then you can drop the fried meat at the top and cover in the last five minutes.

Banga Rice

The great taste of Banga in rice, your taste buds never knew they could blend beautifully.

Ingredients

• Palm fruit extract - either made from scratch or in a can
• 1 Tsp Banga spices
• Crayfish (optional)
• Smoked fish
• Oburunbebe stick (optional)
• Beef stock
• Salt
• Knorr cubes
• Rice
• Chopped red onions
• Dry or fresh pepper

Preparation Method

• Dissolve the palm fruit extract in enough water to cook the amount of rice you need. Add beef stock if you have, chopped onions, dry pepper, the Banga spices, the Obunrubebe stick, the smoked fish, crayfish, salt and seasoning cubes.
• Bring this to a boil until you see patches of oil float to the top. Taste to be sure you are pleased with the flavour, turn down the heat and go wash the rice.
• Add the washed rice to the pot
• The rice grains will cook and absorb the palm fruit broth.
• Let the rice cook till it gets soft. Serve immediately
• Serve with a small portion of Banga soup if you have and also serve with fresh fish and prawns

Coconut Rice

Tasty rice prepared with coconut milk, Crayfish & tomato sauce will leave your tongue asking for more. Can be served for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

• 500g Parboiled Rice
• 150ml Tomato Stew
• 100ml Coconut Milk
• 100ml Chicken or Beef Stock
• 1 Medium sized Onion bulb
• Ground Crayfish (optional)
• Knorr Cubes
• Pepper & Salt (to taste)

Preparation Method

• Pour in the tomato stew, meat stock and the extracted coconut milk. Leave to boil for 5 minutes
• Pour in the parboiled rice to the pot, add the ground crayfish, stock cubes, pepper and salt to taste. Make sure that the liquid in the pot is at the same level as the rice in the pot, if not, add some more to top it up.
• Cover and leave the rice to cook on medium heat until the liquid in the pot is dried up.
• The rice should be properly done when there is no more liquid in the pot. Serve with the grilled/fried meat and enjoy.

Chicken Shawarma

Learn how to make your own home made Chicken shawarma from the comfort of your kitchen.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Salt
• Knorr chicken cubes
• Curry powder
• Dried thyme
• Onion powder
• Garlic salt
• Crushed chillies- roughly Ground dried shombo
• Lemon Juice
• Water

For the Wrap

Flat bread

Tomatoes

Red onions

Cabbage

Lettuce - optional

Julienne carrots

Tatase - red bell pepper

Shombo pepper - for the heat

you can substitute with green chillies of ata rodo

Dry pepper

Mayonnaise

Ketchup

Salad cream – optional

Foil paper

Preparation Method

• Season the chicken breasts to your taste preference and leave in the fridge to marinate for 30 - 45 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan or griddle pan if you choose to grill it and allow it to get very hot. Take the chicken breasts out of the fridge and place in the pan.
• Allow it to sear for 2 minutes. 1 minute in, take a sharp knife and make incisions on the chicken breast to allow the heat to penetrate deep into the flesh. Give it another 2 - 3 minutes and the chicken should cook through completely.
• Take the chicken breasts out of the hot pan and slice longitudinally on a chopping board, set aside and leave it to rest.
• Slice and chop all the vegetables
• Get your flat bread and place on foil paper
• Lay over the vegetables, in whatever order you wish.
• Place the sliced chicken breasts on top, scoop on Mayo and Ketchup and sprinkle on a little dry pepper
• Roll the wrap gently.
• Once rolled, wrap with the foil paper.
• Place the wrap in the oven and let it grill for 5 minutes, or place the wrap in a dry frying pan and let it heat up for 5 minutes. Serve hot

Black Soup

A combination of spices, Offal’s, vegetables brings about this nutritious tasty meal that will leave a tingle feeling after one trial.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of blended bitter leaves
• 1 cup of Efinrin - basil is a good substitute
• Assorted Meat
• Assorted offals
• 1 big piece of stock fish
• 1 piece of smoked fish
• 2 - 3 pieces of ata rodo
• 1/2 cup of crayfish
• 1 1/2 cooking spoon of Palm nut cream
• Knorr cubes
• Salt

Preparation Method

• Boil and season your meats. If you are using offals like liver, heart and kidney, boil in a separate pot. For saki and cow leg, boil in the same pot as the meats. Remember to cook the meats with a strong tasting smoked fish variety like stock fish, smoked red prawns, Eja Sawa.
• Whilst the meats are boiling, proceed to wash your bitter leaves. Once the leaves are less bitter, pour in a blender and blend till smooth. Set this aside.
• Pick the Efinrin or basil leaves off the stalk, rinse and blend too, then set aside
• Blend the ata rodo and add to the pot of cooked meats and stock.
• Once the pepper has dissolved into the stock, add the palm kernel cream or use 3 cooking spoons of palm oil
• Let the palm kernel cream dissolve. This should take about 3 - 5 minutes, depending on your cooker. Then add crayfish and Knorr cubes
• Add the blended bitter leaf to the pot. Let it cook for 2 minutes
• Add the blended Efinrin. Let the soup cook for another 5 minutes and serve

Nsala Soup

Give your family a treat with Nsala Soup, rich in carbohydrate and protein. It is spiced with pepper, crayfish and ogiri/iru, utazi leaves and Knorr seasoning. It is enjoyed with swallow meals.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized Cat Fish
• 5 small sized raw yam cubes or yam powder
• 2 tablespoonful chopped Utazi Leaves
• 1 tablespoonful ground Crayfish
• 1 teaspoonful Ogiri or Iru (locust beans)
• 1 tablespoonful chopped Onions
• Chili pepper (to taste)
• 1-2 Knorr cubes
• Salt (to taste)

Preparation Method

• Cook the meat or dried fish with onions, Knorr cube and salt to taste. Cook until done and set aside

• Peel the yam cubes and boil until soft, then pound to a smooth paste, using a mortar and pestle. If what you have is yam powder, boil some hot water, add the powder and stir continuously until you get a smooth paste. Set the yam paste aside for later use.

• Next, place the catfish into a pot, pour enough water to cover it, add the chopped onions, Knorr cube and salt to taste.

• Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the fish is almost done.

• Now, add the pepper, crayfish and ogiri/iru.

• Also, add the yam paste bit by bit and leave the soup to cook until the paste is completely dissolved and the fish is well done.

• Finally, add the utazi leaves, taste for salt and simmer for 30 seconds.