Nri Ndigbo: 5 Tropical Igbo Dishes

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By Joy Chinecherem 

 

Food is culture, we need to listen to it

                                                                -Robert Irvine

 

There is no truer way to describe Igbo food than the above statement. Igbos as we already know are people blessed with an abundance of rich foods, each dish tells its own story. We will be talking about different nutritional dishes 

Akidi  

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Akidi - Ou Travel and Tour

Akidi, a tiny, reddish-brown or black bean, is a special delicacy for the Igbos. It is found mostly in the northern part of Igboland, popular amongst the people of Enugu. Unlike regular beans, the Akidi takes longer to cook, therefore it is soaked for hours before the main preparation. This native delicacy has a unique taste of its own even without adding any ingredients which is why it is prepared with the barest ingredients. It can be combined with corn 

The Akidi is very rich in protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and starch. Looking for food that you will enjoy and at the same time very nutritional, then you should try Akidi. The recipe is very simple which includes:

Ingredients

  • Akidi bean
  • Boiled yellow corn or yam (optional)
  • Pepper
  • onion bulb
  • Crayfish
  • Maggi
  • palm oil
  • Salt

 

Ukwa (Breadfruit)   

Learn How To Make Ukwa ~ Home Made Ukwa With A Tiny Budget

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Highly placed among the Igbos, Ukwa is considered royalty amongst other foods, often described as nri ndi ogaranya. When you are served Ukwa at an Igbo occasion, forget it you follow for people wey matter. Everything about this prized Igbo dish is meticulous and, like a new bride takes its sweet time from maturation to processing it.

Ukwa is such a versatile food with a natural delicious flavor. It can be cooked plain without any ingredient, not even salt and it will taste great especially when prepared with fresh Ukwa. It can be roasted and eaten with coconut or palm kernel. It can also be prepared as a porridge 

 Ingredients

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  • African Breadfruit
  • Dry fish
  • Stock cubes
  • Potash
  • Palm oil
  • Bitter leaves (Optional)
  • Pepper & Salt 

 

Fio-Fio

Fio fio and achicha-Gt - Order Food Online. Explore popular cuisines

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This Igbo delicacy is more common with the people of Enugu state, known as Pigeon pea in English. It is classified under the family of legumes just like beans. 

Fio-fio has a sweet, mildly nutty and earthy flavour. It is delicious, hearty and very filling. The only downside to it is the length of time it takes to cook. If other types of beans take a yard to cook, pigeon peas take a mile. This can be shortened by using a pressure pot, in the absence of which, you give it a long overnight soak.

         Ingredients

  • Fio-fio (pigeon peas)
  • Achicha (cocoyam)
  • Palm oil
  • Scent leaf
  • Onion balls
  • Seasoning cubes
  • Fresh pepper
  • Ukpaka (ugba)
  • Salt
  • Fish (optional)

 

Abacha

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Abacha popularly known as african salad is one main Igbo meal which can serve as an appetizer, snack or a main dish. The main abacha is made up of tiny shredded cassava that has been sun-dried after it must have been boiled.

The name African salad is said to have originated from the assumption that salad is made of raw fresh vegetables and, abacha is made up of raw african vegetables which sums it  up to an AFRICAN SALAD.

Ingredients

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  • Abacha
  • Ugba (ukpaka)
  • Red palm oil
  • Powdered Potash (food tenderizer)
  • Fish | Mackerel/Dry Fish/Stockfish
  • Onions
  • Salt and pepper
  • Crayfish
  • Stock cubes 
  • Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
  • Garden Eggs.
  • Garden Egg leaves
  • Ogiri Igbo (castor seed paste)

 

Esusu

Asusu and Ugbogho (African food, Nigerian) | Welcome To Silky's Place

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This is a not so common food amongst the igbos, popular with the people of abia state. Esusu is a corn meal from the people of Abiriba kingdom, it is a ceremonial delicacy prepared with just corn flour, water and salt to taste. Sometimes pepper is added or palm oil for a little color.

Esusu is prepared like moi-moi, but wrapped in a special leaf called ebe leaves or akwukwo asusu. It is traditionally served with a local soup called Ugbogho.

Ingredients

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  • Corn meal
  • Salt 
  • Water
  • Pepper (optional)
  • Palm oil (optional)
  • Akwukwo esusu
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