Learning Bytes
You aren't a bonafide Nigerian if you do not know what Crayfish is. Crayfish is one of the staple Nigerian spices. Nigerians would even sometimes incorporate ground crayfish into the first solid foods of their babies because of the high level of nutrients it contains. Crayfish can be added to virtually all Nigerian meals. Rice, beans, eggs, stew- just name it.
The truth is that steamed foods are alien to the African or Nigerian culture. I sat down to think about at least ten foods that Nigerians steam but I could only come up with Moinmoin and Ekuru and some veggies (and that’d be for babies though). What would Nigerians want to steam actually? Pounded yam or Jollof beans? Fried Rice?
There is an old saying that ‘Eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch as a prince and eat dinner as a pauper’. I doubt however that this is true in many Nigerian homes today. Maybe it used to work when our forefathers were farmers, which I even doubt because they had to be in the farms early each morning. Or maybe it only applies to the royal families. Whatever the case may be, the most important thing is that we should try as much as possible to each a balanced diet in the morning, in the afternoon and at night.
Peppersoup is one of the most delicious Nigerian foods. It is a delicious, highly nutritious one-pot dish that can be taken in any kind of weather, all year round. It is a fusion of toasted homemade spices, herbs, peppers, deeply-flavored broth and some very good skin-on, bone-in meat or fish. Nigerian pepper soup has a mix of nutty, warmth, bitter, woodsy and flavourful tastes.
I love Iru so much. One main Nigerian food I would always order for, living in the diaspora is Iru. Known as Locust Beans in English, Iru is one of the main foods that make a Nigerian food Nigerian indeed. I love the way it changes the taste of my vegetables and the smell is Heaven to me😂😂😂 (This is a highly contentious statement for many, I know. Haha)
Ghana and Nigeria are two passionate West African countries that seem to enjoy hating on each other. (Haha) On the social media, they have had several ‘wars’ and debates on which country is better at making specific foods or which is better at football, government etc. But one unending war between these two beautiful nations would be about who makes the best Jollof Rice.
