i noticed some Nigerian ingredients dont seem familiar without translation.

English names for ingredients used in Nigerian cuisine


Afang / Ukazi leaves (gnetum African)
Dark green Shiny foliage of the creeping afang plant cultivated mostly in Calabar and Igbo land are used a great deal in the cooking of these regions. It can be bought ready shredded from African food stores.

Atama leaves / Beletientien
This is an annual Herb cultivated in the delta areas. It smells and taste like tarragon; usually used fresh or dried in Banga soup. Use dried leaves sparingly as flavor is more intense. Readily available from African food stores.

Avocado (persea Americana)
Tropical fruit with thick warty skin usually greenish or purplish in color. The edible flesh inside surrounds a large oval shape seed. It is light yellow and soft when ripe. Avocados can be eaten on its own or cut in half and filled with cooked seafood (Avocado and prawn cocktail).

Beans or Cowpeas
Black-eye beans or Brown beans have become indispensable in Nigeria cuisine because of it versatility in use. It requires overnight soaking before use for dishes like Akara Moin-mom and Gbegiri soup.

Banana
This is one of the most important food crops in Nigeria. Widely eaten on it's own or in fruit salads they make a good substitute for plantains. The leaves are usually used for wrapping foods such as Anyan-Ekpang or Ebiripo for steaming. Baking foil or greased parchment paper make adequate substitute but do not add the delicate flavour that banana leaves give.

Bitterleaf
A leafy green vegetable that is widely used in soups like Egusi for its bitter but sweet flavor. The fresh leaves is prepared like spinach and washed with salt; rubbing and squeezing to remove some of the bitterness before use. Can be bought fresh or ready washed and air-dried.

Several species of Vernonia, including V. calvoana, V. amygdalina, and V. colorata, are eaten as leaf vegetables. Common names for these species include bitterleaf, ewuro, ndole and onugbu. They are common in most West African and Central African countries.

_wiki


Chilli Peppers
Chilli peppers are the fruit of Capsicum Frutescens plant with red orange or yellow pods which are very hot rich in Vitamin A & C and widely used in Nigerian cooking. While the flavor in the chilli lies in the flesh and skins much of the heat potency rests in the seeds and veins which can be removed. Green chillies are a lot hotter than the red ones. The active chemical con stituent is capiasin renowned for stimulating digestive process and helping to relieve heat fatigue in hot climates by inducing perspiration.

Breadfruit
These are large green fruits which hang like lanterns from tress. Only edible when cooked and taste like boiled potatoes. It could also be fried as crisp.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Cassava is a tropical vegetable with a long tu berous root and dull green palmate leaves. Mature tubers have brown mottled skin with a white fibrous flesh. It can be cooked and eaten with coconut (Eberebe); but mostly used for making Gad (Cassava grains) and Fufu. Used as accompaniment to soups and stews. It can be bought ready made as gaff or cassava flour (Fufu).

Cocoyam
Cocoyams are similar to large potatoes usually with a fibrous skin. In Nigeria the plant is grown for both it's tubers and leaves. The young and tender leaves are used in preparing Ekpang Nkukwo (cocoa-yam pottage). Spinach leaves make adequate substitute. These tubers can also be boiled roasted or fried.

Corn / Maize
Sweet corn or maize as it is commonly known is grown throughout Nigeria as a food source. The plant grows to a height of about seven feet.  When fully matured the swollen fruits are called cobs and it is these which are picked and used for food. The cobs can be boiled roasted or cooked with beans as a main course. A number of by products are obtained from the grains including Ogi (corn-starch) and corn oil which is low in saturates and cholesterol.

Crayfish
Smoked dried prawns or shrimps used for flavoring soups and savory dishes. Usually sold whole or grinded.

Egusi (cirullus colocynthis) melon seeds
Seed of the African melon fruit used in preparing Egusi soup. Should be grinded before use. Can be oily but adds a nutty flavor to the soup.

Ewedu (corchorus olitorius)
Shiny green leave vegetable rich in Vitamins A C & D. Use in making sauces to accompany stews and enjoyed for its mucilaginous or viscous properties. Sold fresh or dried.

also known as jute.

Elubo
Dried powdered yam flour for making amala (cooked yam flour pudding).

Fufu
Fermented cassava dough usually served cooked to accompany soups.

Garden eggs (solanum melongena)
Also knows as African eggplant a member of the aubergine family. A round shiny green and yellow fruit with a slightly bitter taste. Garden eggs are eaten raw as a fruit or diced and added to stews.

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)
Like a set of twins groundnut mature together in light coloured shells which are flaky and easy to break. Grown profusely in Northern Nigeria the seeds are harvested for their oil and protein. They can be eaten raw boiled roasted and pureed for making groundnut soup. Groundnut oil is used for cooking.

Iru (locust bean) parkia biglobosa
Fermented locust or black beans. They have a slightly salty taste and a pungent smell. They are used as seasoning in soups. Usually sold fresh or dried packed

Kaun (Rock salt) potash
Usually added to food especially pulses during cooking for faster tenderisation and to increase the viscosity in Okro and Ewedu sauce. Also used for emulsifying oil and water in some traditional soups.

Mango (mangifera indica)
This kidney shaped fruit is pinkish or yellowish in colour. When fully ripe it is lusciously sweet and succulent with the golden flesh. Mango is common in fruit platters and salad.

Millet (pennisetum)
Tiny yellow grains obtained from plant that looks like bull rushes with a maize like stalk. Grows widely in Northern Nigeria and used mostly for porridge and gruel.

Okro (lady fingers)
These vegetables are curved seed pod up to 9 inches Long they are usually eaten cooked in soup and salads.

Apon (ogbono Seed)Irvingia gabonensis
This seeds are obtained from the nuts of the African mango bush and air dried in the sun. It has a subtle aromatic flavor and it's very mucilaginous when cooked. Can be bought whole or powdered.

Pawpaw (Carica papaya)
This is a fruit of woody herbaceous plant that looks like a tree. It is eaten ripe (yellow or orange in color) in fruit salads or stuffed for starters or main course.

Plantain
A large member of the banana family plantain is less sweet than banana and is more versatile in use. It is often boiled toasted or fried and served with meat stews because the tissue has a starchy taste than sweet banana. It is best cooked with plenty of spices onions tomatoes and peppers (plantain pottage).

Ugwu (Pumpkin leaves) telfairi occidentallis
These trailing green leaves of the pumpkin plant rich in minerals and vitamins. Use in various soup preparations It is the chief ingredient in cooking Edikang Ikong soup. Fresh spinach can be used as substitute in any recipe if not available. Pumpkin seeds can also be eaten.

Utazi leaves (crongromena ratifolia)
This is a bitter tasting pale green leaf usually used for flavouring pepper soup. Very sparingly used. It can also be used as a substitute for bitter leaves.

Uzouza leaves or Ikong Etinkinrin
This sweet smelling aromatic and spicy pale green leaf vegetable is also used for flavoring soups especially (Ibaba soup).

Yam (Dioscorea sp)
The plant grows as a vine to height of six to eight feet. The edible tubers comes in various shapes and sizes; usually dark brown in color and hairy to the touch. The flesh is white or yellow and when cooked it has a pleasant flavor when cooked rather like potato. It is harvested in dry season with a gig feast known as Yam Festival in Igbo land. Yam still forms the staple diet of a large number of people in Nigeria. It is cooked in different ways including boiled roasted and fried. When pounded it is served as accompaniment to soups and stews.

Sorghum
Also known as guinea corn sorghum is cultivated mainly in Northern Nigeria. Used for porridge or pap (gruel).

Snail
These are large forest creatures covered with a hard shell. Taste rubbery when overcooked it is rather an acquired taste.

Oils
From a health stand point fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated oils such as butter coconut and palm oil are known to in crease the amount of cholesterol carried in the blood but since regional cuisine is characterized by the type of oil used lesser quantities or half the amount in a given recipe could always be used.

Groundnut oil
This is used for frying and also added to stews and other savory dishes. It has a pleasant and unobtrusive taste; favorable in making mayonnaise and could be heated to a high temperature without burning.

Corn oil
This oil pressed from the germ of germ of maize (corn) is high in poly unsaturated and low in cholesterol. It is used the same way as groundnut oil. It can also be heated to a high temperature without burning.

Palm oil
This rather tasty and nutty thick and waxy rustic red colored oil is extracted from the flesh of the oil-palm nut fruits. It is widely used in Nigerian cooking especially in the traditional soups and stews for color and taste but usually in small quantity as it is high in saturates.

Water leaf (talilum triangulare)
This is the most widely used of all green leaf vegetables. It is rich in iron calcium and vitamin A and C and it is best eaten lightly cooked in soups and stews. spinach can be used in recipes calling for waterleaf.

Kuka leaves
Leaves of the baobab tree usually sold dried in powder form and used for Kuka soup.

IGBO (garden egg leaves) solanum manocarpum
The young leaves of the garden egg plant. African Aubergines can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in stews.

Soko (celosia argentea)
This green leaf vegetable is much preferred in the making of Efo-riro. It taste like spinach.


Tete (celosia viddis)
This green is a close relative to Soko and is used interchangeable or in combination with it. It is widely grown in Western Nigeria.



http://www.onlinenigeria.com/recipes/ingredients.asp

A good cook dose not cook with too much ingredients. is better you add few so that when your purging you can easily identify the problem. More so with all the mentioned ingredients for a small port of soup ,your husband will quickly send you parking. again with all this mentioned ingredients, any body can do better than what you have just shown so you have 30/100 .

Brigyomege:

A good cook dose not cook with too much ingredients. is better you add few so that when your purging you can easily identify the problem. More so with all the mentioned ingredients for a small port of soup ,your husband will quickly send you parking. again with all this mentioned ingredients, any body can do better than what you have just shown so you have 30/100 .

in case your post was directed at me, its a dictionary, lady Reference book if you will.

Brigyomege:

A good cook dose not cook with too much ingredients. is better you add few so that when your purging you can easily identify the problem. More so with all the mentioned ingredients for a small port of soup ,your husband will quickly send you parking. again with all this mentioned ingredients, any body can do better than what you have just shown so you have 30/100 .

Wrong. . .
That was simply posted to assist those of us who don't know what egusi and afang is. It's not a recipe my dear so tpiah will stay in her hubby's house for as long as she wants because she's superb in the kitchen
Thanx tpiah; that really helped me yesternyt. Bless yah

teissys:

Wrong. . .
That was simply posted to assist those of us who don't know what egusi and afang is. It's not a recipe my dear so tpiah will stay in her hubby's house for as long as she wants because she's superb in the kitchen
Thanx tpiah; that really helped me yesternyt. Bless yah

you're welcome.

I sometimes get lost myself, hence the search.

I dont know why anyone would add that long list to a sinlge pot of stew?

tpiah:


you're welcome.

I sometimes get lost myself, hence the search.

I dont know why anyone would add that long list to a sinlge pot of stew?

making love potion. . .

Well Amaka, the pictures of your food look,s good. But i as a traditional man ,i can,t marry a woman like you , cos your too extravagant in cooking, if not you will send me to steal. 

cheifo:

Well Amaka, the pictures of your food look,s good. But i as a traditional man ,i can,t marry a woman like you , cos your too extravagant in cooking, if not you will send me to steal. 

@chiefo, abi brigy

Please get help.

pls am not brigy .

cheifo:

Well Amaka, the pictures of your food look,s good. But i as a traditional man ,i can,t marry a woman like you , cos your too extravagant in cooking, if not you will send me to steal. 

you cant marry a woman like her because you're traditional or because you're broke?

say the truth abeg.

How much is the food you're complaining about?

all these offtopic people sef.

Food Encyclopedia (a database of various food ingredients including African ones)


http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/Ukazi!opendocument&startkey=Ukazi

450g / 11b rice

folami86:

450g / 1lb rice

450g = +/- 1lb abi?

or would you rather we say 0.99208018 pounds?

What am I missing?

AmakaOne:

450g = +/- 1lb abi?

or would you rather we say 0.99208018 pounds?

What am I missing?

I truly wonder

Hi all, i am wondering if i can get the recipe for omiebe soup. It is an Ishan dish made using palm kernel. I am particularly interested in the leaf that is used to make it. Some people also call it black soup although it is really dark green in color.

Amakaone this thread is great, i especially love the pictures and how you try to translate some of the native ingredients to english. I have tried some of your recipes and they turned out great. I also like to cook, but you have me beat

Hello Nairalanders and all those who appreciate good food,I have well  over 250 page e-book that covers recipes of 28 different foreign and local  foods and products. Also included  are rare information like: complete library of cooking,diabetic recipes,Smoothies For Athletes  and many more. Contents of the priceless e-book include:
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MY SPECIAL RECIPE: PEANUT SOUP


1 ½ onions (blended to smooth consistency)
1 16 oz. tub creamy peanut butter
1 lb. cow’s feet (cut and cleaned)
1 1½ lb. fresh mackerel fish (cut and cleaned)
½ lb. beef tripe (cut into bite-size pieces)
3 Maggi cubes
3 oz. tomato sauce
2 oz. whole crayfish

Place peanut butter along with 8 oz. of water into a saucepan and mix until homogenized. Place over medium heat, mixing often to prevent burning. Cook until peanut oil rises to the top. Skim excess oil of the top and set aside.

Place cow’s feet and beef tripe in a Dutch oven along with blended onions, crayfish and Maggi. Add enough water to cover the meat by 1 inch and place over medium heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes adding more water if necessary. Add tomato sauce, peanut sauce and mackerel pieces. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve hot over tuo zaafi or with fufu,pounded yam,eba or semovita

Any one with an idea of how to make an urhobo delicacy called 'Idjadja ohreke'?

I tell you this thread has kept me busy for days now nd i cud not do any other thing but read and practiced

i say kudos to all the people that contributed, its one of the most wonderful forum on nairaland.

Please keep it coming so some of us can keep our guys forever.

could anyone help me get a recipe for that very particularly specially unique tasting MAMA-PUT stew we usually eat at the mama-put restaurants back home. I really miss that and would like to know how to make it exactly the way they taste.
thank you.

hmmm, the saki (tripe) looks great.

hmmmmmmmm, really the shaki, lookssss gooddddddd yum yum

Hi everyone, i must say each time I go through these thread I try had not to go get something to eat. Kudos to everyone and especially Amaka, nna babe your bobo must be enjoying shege!

Amaka (or anyone) do you by any chance have the recipe for Asun? Its made with meat chopped up and pepper but i don't know how its done but i'm a fan of it. Can you help?

[color=#000099][/color][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font][i][/i]plz if anyone know d recipe for pancakes n how its done ,plz let me know
amyklax1@yahoo.com

who can tell me the best kept secret recipe?

I love that egusi soup. Wil love to know how to make coconut rice

amaka, how come u know how to cook all dis delicious meal

Amaka! please what filling goes into a basic wrap? like a chicken wrap? and how can I make the tortilla myself?
thanks

Does anyone have a good recipe for Yam Porridge?

Hi everyone,
Can any1 kindly send me the maggi kitchen recipes.
my addy is abithez@yahoo.com
thank uuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Pls, can you teach how to prepare Afang soup? I am really interested in it. Thanks