OFE NSALA...

Credit for this post actually goes to my mother, she cooked it, not me and it has got to be one of the easiest Nigerian soups to cook as well as the healthiest because you can use absolutely no oil and it'll still turn out great. for this however i used 2 tablespoons of palm oil. Also perfect fo this "weather for 2" we find ourselves in now.

;)

2Kg Mix of Goat Meat and Beef

500Grms Stock Fish

2 Smoked Catfish

Cocoyam Paste or Ground Ofor (for thickening the soup)

1 Tablespoon Ground Uziza Seed

1 Teaspoon Ground Uda

1 Onion

Ground Crayfish

2 Tablespoons Palm Oil

1 or 2 Tablespoons Cup Chopped Utazi Leaf 

3 Seasoning Cubes

Salt & Pepper

Wash and cook your meats and stockfish together seasoned with salt, pepper, 2 seasoning cubes and chopped onions.

When the meat is tender, add smoked fish, crayfish, uda, uziza and allow to boil together. The uda and uziza seeds will give it a hot spicy taste so easy on your pepper. Gradually add either cocoyam paste or ofor little by little (we used ofor) bearing in mind that you still want the soup to be light because these thickeners continue to thicken the soup even after its been taken off the heat and ofe nsala is meant to be light, just a tad thicker than peppersoup.

Add palm oil and uziza leaf and taste for seasoning. Please don't overdo the uziza leaf of you'll end up with a bitter inedible soup.

Thats all! Serve with pounded yam.

Food, glorious food!

ONE POT CHICKEN, BACON & POTATO STEW...

Another easy recipe for the day you cant be bothered with cooking. You'll have to stand in front of the cooker for only 15 minutes, then allow your oven do the rest!

500grm Baby Potatoes (Precooked in its skin for about 15 minutes and cut in halves or quarters)

1Kg Chicken Thighs (on the bone)

200Grms Bacon

4 Large Carrots (Chopped)

1 Onion (Chopped Roughly)

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 Tablespoon Tomato Puree

2 Seasoning Cubes

2 Bay Leaves

1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms

1 Cup White Wine

1/4 Cup Double Cream

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Chopped Parsley

Pre-heat oven. 

Add bacon to dry pot or flameproof casserole dish and fry for about 2 minutes until it renders its fat the transfer to a plate.

Add oil and chicken and allow chicken to brown on all sides. 5 minutes.

Stir in carrots and onions and when it begins to simmer, turn down the heat and add flour and tomato puree and mix gently till you have a paste of even consistency.

Add white wine, seasoning cubes, i cup of water and while still stirring, pour in the cream.

Taste for seasoning, re-introduce the bacon to the party and add potatoes. Allow to cook for 1 minute.

If you're not using a flameproof casserole dish, transfer to a regular casserole dish , cover with foil and pop into the oven for 30 minutes.

Open your casserole dish, add your mushrooms and stir the return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Serve with a scattering of chopped parsley.

mmmm...

SEAFOOD CAKE...

I got this recipe from my friend @ajikespecial, added calamari to it and it was beautiful! Thank you babe! ;)

It couldn't be any simpler and it makes for an amazing starter or snack.

2 Cups Fresh Calamari

1 Cup Fresh Shrimps

2 Cans of Tuna

1 Spring Onion (Chopped)

3 Cloves of Garlic (Chopped)

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Flour

1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley

1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Red Chili Flakes

2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Add calamari and shrimps to food processor and blitz till its broken down but still chunky. Or you could chop semi-finely with a sharp knife.

Transfer to a big bowl, add tuna and mash together with a fork.

Gradually incorporate all the other ingredients and mash till you have a thick paste.

Add the oil to a large non-stick pan and when the oil is hot, add medium sized seafood mix. A quick tip; to avoid having your seafood patty sticking to your palms, you could rub a little vegetable oil on your palms before moulding.

Do not over crowd you pan, you should give yourself some room to flip the cakes over. 

Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, till the outside is a nice golden brown and crisp. Resist the urge to press the cakes down as you fry, you will only be pushing out all the moisture and leaking all the flavour into the oil.

Serve on a bed of vegetables, in a burger or just much away as is.

You can make a simple dipping sauce by whisking together a tablespoon of garlic sauce, a teaspoon of mustard, sweet chilli sauce, chili flakes, fish sauce, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Enjoy!