The Recipes of Nigeria

Of the West African cuisines, the cookery of Nigeria is perhaps the most well known outside its native region, as benefits Africa's most populous traditions. However, the westernized versions of Nigerian cuisines that you sometimes encounter are quite different from native Nigerian cookery.

In the main, Nigerian foods are heavily based around the use of grains with millet, sorghum, barley and cassava flours being staples. The southern part of the country tend to have fish and seafood-based stews as a large part of the diet whilst pork, veal and chicken are more common in the North of the country.

Like many West African countries hot chillies are a critical component of all Nigerian stews and they provide the majority of the vitamin C in the country's traditional diet. Tomato-based stews are also common, as are snacks based on plantains and peanuts.

Below are two classic Nigerian recipes for you to enjoy and to try at home.


Obe Eja Dindin (Fried Fish Stew)

Ingredients:
1 large white fish, cleaned and gutted

450g fresh tomatoes
225g fresh chillies (preferrably scotch bonnet)
3 tbsp tomato purée
1 large onion

2 lemons
190ml groundnut oil
pinch of thyme
pinch of curry
salt to taste

Method:
Cut the fish into medium-sized pieces and use the lemons to wash the fish thoroughly. Place in a bowl and season with the salt, thyme and curry. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes then heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the fish.

Grind the tomatoes, onions and peppers in a pestle and mortar or food processor. Heat oil in a pot, add the ground ingredients and fry for 20 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. Add the tomato purée and the fried fish. Season and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Served immediately with boiled rice, boiled yam or plantain.


Igbekere (Pantain Chips)
Ingredients:
4 half-ripe plantains
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

Method:
Peel the plantains and cut in half then slice them thinly at a diagonal to form rounds. Sprinkle with salt then heat the oil and deep fry the sliced plantains until crisp and golden. Drain onto kitchen paper and serve as a snack or as an accompaniment to drinks.

About the Author

Dyfed Lloyd Evans is the creator and main author of the Celtnet Recipes site where you can find a range of Nigerian recipes which are presented as part of this West African Recipes pages, a component of his African Recipes collection.