MELON SOUP WITH PUMPKIN LEAVES (OBE EGUSI)

Egusi soup (Melon Soup) is Unarguably the most popular Nigerian soup everyone loves. It's quite versatile too as it's prepared by every single tribe in Nigeria though the methods of preparation might differ slightly.
No matter how it is prepared, the end result still remains the same good old tasty soup
 In the north it's known as Miyan Gushi, in the east it is known as Ofe egusi, in the west it is known as efo-elegusi.


It could also be prepared with different leaves such as Ugu leaf "fluted pumpkin leaf", Onugbu "Bitter leaf, Afang "Wild spinach", water leaf e.t.c

A different leaf means a different flavor.
One of the reasons why i love preparing Egusi soup with bitter leaf is, with bitter leaf the soup tends to last longer without the taste changing while being refrigerated but when prepared with ugu leaves, it's best eaten within a time frame. Also, bitter leaf makes it fingerlicking good.

How to make Egusi soup with bitter leaf
• Prep Time:  30 minutes
• Total Time: Over 45 minutes
• Serves :       6
Ingredients:::
• 2 Cups Melon Seeds "Egusi"
• 600g Red beef
• 1 medium sized Stock fish
• 2 Medium Smoked fish
• 1/2 Cooking spoon Cray fish
• 5 chili pepper "Shombo"
• 3 red scotch bonnet pepper "Ata rodo"
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1½ Cup palm oil
• 1 Cup Bitter leaf - Pre-washed
• 3 Seasoning cubes
• Salt to taste
Directions:::

Step 1: The first step is to peel the egusi by removing the white Egusi seeds from the brown shell. Place the peeled Egusi in a dry mill (The smaller grinder that comes with the Cup blender) and grind till smooth. It might start to cake up but never mind, that's not a problem

 Step 2: Bitter leaf is always sold pre-washed in the Nigerian market. To be on the safer side and to avoid making your soup extremely bitter, it's always advisable to Boil and re-wash the already washed bitter leaf.
Place the pre-washed bitter leaf in an empty pot and add some water. Cook on medium heat for 10mins. Strain and rinse about 2-3 times more. Squeeze out the excess water and set aside for later use. Please taste it before adding to the soup (There's no remedy to Bitter Egusi soup - If you've got, please share below)

Step 3: Wash the chili pepper and scotch bonnet. Dice or blend into a puree - Set aside.

Step 4: For the Stock, you could use any type of meat or fish you choose to. For this particular recipe, i used a mixture of Stock fish, Smoked fish & Beef.
Wash the Beef, Stock fish and Smoked fish (remove the bone). Place the beef in an empty pot, add the blended pepper puree and Chopped onion (you could also blend the onion), Crushed seasoning cubes and just enough water to cover the content of the pot. Cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes. Add the salt, washed stock fish and smoked fish, Cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the burner and set aside.

 Step 5: In an empty pot, pour in the palm oil and heat it for 1minute ,then mix the ground Egusi with halfcup of  warm water to make paste. On medium heat, stir fry for about 3 minutes till it starts to dry up but don't let it burn. Note you can mix your egusi with blend  or chop onions if you want it to cake up very well.

Step 6: Pour in the meat & fish stock in step 4 above, add the ground crayfish, Stir and cover the pot. Leave to cook for about 15 minutes till the Egusi swells and cakes up a little. By this time, the oil would have settled on top.

Step 7: Add the washed bitter leaf, stir and cover the pot. Leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes before turning off the burner.

Serve with any "Swallow", Yam or Rice.

HOW TO MAKE CHAPMAN

 The general idea and method of preparation is to mix an orange soda (Fanta for example) with a fizzy lemon/lime soda (Such as sprite), A black currant drink to give it the unique red color (Such as Grenadine syrup or Ribena (Preferably the undiluted concentrate) ), Slices of Natural fruits such as Lemon, Lime, Orange and Cucumber to go with the sodas as well as beautify the drink and Finally, dashes of an aromatic bitter (Such as Angostura aromatic bitter or Alomo bitters) which is used to reduce the sweetness of the drink.

This usually leaves it with a nice slightly bitter after taste. When preparing for kids, this could be skipped. To make it easier to get ingredients, i used our very own alomo bitters which you can get around every corner on the streets and also ribena and it turned out great. This drink is so easy to make yet very Unique in it's own way as i'm about to show you in this quick tutorial.

How to make Chapman drink (Fanta Chapman)
• Prep time:10 mins
• Serves :    3-4
• Misc :        Serve Cold

Ingredients:::
• A bottle of Fanta (50cl)
• A bottle of Sprite (50cl)
• Grenadine syrup, Homemade zobo syrup, or Blackcurrant drink (preferably undiluted)
• Aromatic Bitters: Angostura bitters or Alomo bitters (a cap full) - Contains alcohol
•1 medium sized orange
• 1 lemon or lime
• Cucumber
• Ice cubes
The orange, lime, lemon and cucumber are used for garnishing

Directions

Step 1: In a large glass jug, add a cap of the aromatic bitter (i used Alomo bitters). Pour in the blackcurrant drink/ Zobo syrup or spoons of the Grenadine syrup. Gently pour in the Fanta and Sprite and mix.

Step 2: Slice the Orange, Lime/Lemon and Cucumber (Do not remove the skins). Add some few slices of each into the Jug. this gives it a slightly sour taste and also enhances the flavor. Leave some few slices for garnishing.

Step 3: To serve, pour into a long glass cup or glass mug, add the ice cubes and a few fruit slices. Serve Chilled!

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Chicken shawarma is a tasty sandwich wrap which is pretty easy to make. It's really similar to beef shawarma with the only difference being that chicken is being used instead of beef as it is in beef shawarma.

 For the Hot press (To seal and heat up the wrapped shawarma), you could make do with a grill, sandwich Toaster or a frying pan….They both serve the same function only that one heats both ways (Most times leaving grill marks) and the other heats one way leaving no line at all.

How to make chicken shawarma
•Prep time:  20 minutes
•Cook time: 5 minutes
•Yield:         10 Shawarma
Ingredients:::
• 3 medium sized carrots
• ½ medium sized cabbage
• 1 medium sized cucumber
• 2 green pepper - Optional
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 10 pieces Pita Bread (Shawarma bread)
• ½ kilo grilled chicken (with the bones removed)
• Mayonnaise - As desired
• Ketchup - As desired
• 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
 Preparation/Directions:::
Step 1: Chop the cabbage, Grate the carrots, Dice the green pepper & slice the cucumber- Set aside separately

Step 2: Shred or dice the grilled chicken and set this aside

To assemble:::
Step 3: Get one pita bread and open the pocket (This divides it into two). Place one on top of the other.

 Step 4: Rub mayonnaise over the bread on top. Add the cabbage, carrot, green pepper, cucumber, chicken.

 Step 5: Sprinkle with powdered chili and drizzle with ketchup and more mayonnaise.

Step 6: Fold to seal the contents and place on the grill (Greased with a little vegetable oil). Reduce the burner to the barest minimum and let the shawarma heat up on the side with the open flap . Flip and do the same for the other side.

Yep! Your Chicken shawarma is ready. Serve.

HOW TO MAKE COW LEG SOUP(NKWOBI)

How to make Nkwobi
Nkwobi is a Nigerian dish which Originates from the Eastern part on Nigeria. It's a delicacy which delights the heart of any man i tell you. Do let me know how it goes once you try it out.
How to make Nkwobi & Ugba
• Prep Time:  40 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour
• Serves:        5-8 people
Ingredients:::
• 1.5 kg Cow leg (cut into sizable pieces)
• 2 Seasoning cubes
• 2 Ehuru seeds “Monodora myristica”(Calabash Nutmeg)
• 8 Cooking spoon palm oil
• 1 small sized Edible Potash(akaun/ kanwa)/ 1 tbsp. ground potash
• 2 tbsp. Ground crayfish
• 2 Fresh red scotch bonnet pepper/ 2 tbsp. Ground chili pepper
• Salt (To taste)
• 1 cup Ugba (also Known as Ukpaka)
• Water
For Garnish:::
•1 Medium sized Onion
•10 Utazi leaves (Gongronema Preparation:::

Before preparing Nkwobi you have to take note of this following.

 1. Cow leg: Cow leg is the Original bonny meat to use for this dish. This means it's got more of bones and less beef on it. If you don't have cow leg, you could substitute for goat leg or Calf leg. Before cooking cow leg, you have to take note that it takes a very long time to cook. If you have a pressure cooker, you could use it to save time and Gas.

 Wash the cow leg thoroughly and place in a pot. Add some chopped onion, Seasoning cubes and cook till Soft. Make sure the liquid left in the pot is minimal and concentrated to ensure the seasoning gets into the bone meat. -Set this aside.

 2. Ehuru/Ehu seeds: This is what gives the dish its authentic local flavor. It cannot be substituted for the normal Nutmeg. To make it easy to remove from the shell, it could either be pan roasted or roasted in open flame
.•
Pan roast: Place the ehuru seeds on an empty dry pan and leave to heat while tossing once in a while on dry heat till you hear it crack open. Peel the skin and place the the peeled ehuru in a mortar. Pound and set aside

•Open flame roast: Place the ehuru seeds on a dry burner on medium heat. leave for a while till it chars. Crack open and place the the peeled ehuru in a mortar. Pound and set aside

. Potash: This is the special ingredient that makes the palmoil Curdle and change colour. To prepare, place the powdered potash in a bowl. Add some water and stir. What you need is the liquid and not the residue. Just stir and set aside. An alternative to potash is Ngu which is more Local than potash but its quite rare and is mostly found in remote areas.

4. Utazi leaves: Utazi is Used as a garnish for this meal. It has a Bitter taste and gives the dish a wonderful Bitter flavor. It's Used sparingly though since most people cannot stand the bitter taste. To prepare, wash and chop -Set aside

5. Ugba: Usually, Nkwobi on its own is tasty but when oil bean seed 'Ugba' is added, it becomes simply mouth watering due to the additional flavor it gives the dish. To prepare, wash the ugba with clean water and set aside.

6: Onions: This is Usually used as a Garnish and is eaten raw. To prepare, wash and slice the onion into rings - set aside.

: Now you are done preparing the ingredients, its time to prepare the Main Nkwobi.

Preparation of the Nkwobi sauce

 Step 1: In a Medium sized pot/pan, Heat the palm oil till it gets a little bit hot (Not bleached). Gently sieve in the dissolved potash liquid making sure you don't pour in the residue. Ensure there are no lumps in the mixture by stirring thoroughly

Step 2: Keep stirring till the Oil Turns bright yellow and thick:

Step 3: Add the ground ehuru, Pepper, Crayfish to the sauce and mix.

 Step 4: Gently add the Ugba, pour the cooked cowleg into the sauce (with very little meat stock). Stir Very well and place the pot on the Burner and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5-8 minutes

 Step 5: Dish Out into the traditional Nkwobi bowl  and garnish with the sliced onion rings and Utazi leaves.

Serve with a Chilled drink or a glass of palmwine

HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLES SALAD

Since the Holiday season is fast approaching, i decided to rummage through my kitchen cabinet for leftover food items i had in store before going for my usual shopping and i came across some canned food items i could use to put together a quick salad for a quick lunch.

 Here's why i love salads; It's healthy, mouthwatering and easy to make. did i also mention that it goes with just about any meal i.e jollof rice, fried rice, coconut rice, and a host of others. When making mine, i combine a host of things; sweet corn, green peas, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce,carrots, eggs and YES macaroni with a drizzle of salad dressing

 Just imagine having a bowl of this tasty salad on a hot day.....can you taste it?  I love it really chilled, but it's also great when it's warm too.

How to make  vegetable salad
• Prep time: 30 minutes
• Meal type: Appetizer
• Misc:         Serve chilled

Ingredients:::
• 1 medium sized cabbage
• 1 small cucumber
• 5 lettuce leaves
• 3 medium sized carrots
• 3 small tomatoes
• 1 medium sized green bell pepper
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 1 cup green peas - salted, boiled
• 2 cups macaroni - salted, boiled
• 4 eggs - hard-boiled

Directions:::
Step 1: Rinse the cabbage and chop. Slice the cucumber into 2 from the middle, remove the seeds, rinse and chop. Rinse the lettuce, tomatoes, green bell pepper & carrots, chop.

Step 2: In a medium sized bowl, combine the whole ingredients together and mix everything together. Pop it into the refrigerator to chill and also prevent it from getting sour.

Step 3: To serve, simply dish out into small bowls and drizzle some salad cream or mayonnaise over it. Serve alone as an appetizer or as a side with any rice dish.

HOW TO MAKE MORINGA SOUP(MIYAN SOGALE)

[22/03, 3:05 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Having a small farm of my own has helped in several rewarding ways. i love the fact that i get to grow most of my food and this has helped me appreciate farmers even more. One of the plants i grow on the farm is moringa.
[22/03, 3:06 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: After learning about the health benefits which i documented here, i decided to grow my very own moringa tree
[22/03, 3:07 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Apart from the leaves being used in preparing the popular zogale tea for weightloss, it is also used to make salads and soups.
[22/03, 3:08 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: One of the soups it's used for is miyan zogale, a tasty Nigerian soup which originates from the Northern part of the country. It's a groundnut based soup prepared with moringa leaves locally known as Zogale in Hausa language, gyada "roasted groundnuts", peppers, tomatoes and a host of other ingredients.
[22/03, 3:09 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: How to make miyan zogale
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: Over an hour
• Region:      Northern Nigeria
• Misc:          Serve hot
[22/03, 3:09 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Ingredients:::
• ½ kg Meat
• 1 medium size dried fish
• 2 Large bunch Zogale "Moringa leaves"
• 3 Large size fresh tomatoes
• 3 medium size fresh pepper
• 1 medium size Onion
• 1 tbsp. Yaji
• ½ cup Gyada "Groundnut" (Raw Shelled)
• 1 tsp. Kaun "potash"
• 1½ litres Water
• ½ flat Daddawa "Dawadawa"
• 2 cooking spoon palm Oil
• 3 seasoning cubes
• Salt to taste
[22/03, 3:10 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Directions:::
Step 1: Pick and wash the Zogale leaves, drain off any excess water and place the leaves in a pot with ½ litre of water and Kaun. Boil for about 5-8 minutes and drain off the water and set aside.
[22/03, 3:11 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Note: I sincerely don't know the reason why zogale is boiled with Kaun because left to me i'd rather rinse the leaves with salt water to retain the wonderful nutrients and skip the kaun due to the adverse effects.
[22/03, 3:12 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Step 2: Cut up the tomatoes and onion into small pieces but grind the pepper - set aside
[22/03, 3:13 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Step 3: Roast the groundnut slightly for about 5 minutes using an empty frying pan without oil. Fry for about 10 minutes while stirring constantly. Allow to cool then peel off the skin and grind in a blender to a smooth paste - set aside
[22/03, 3:13 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Step 4: Wash the meat thoroughly, Place in a pot season with a tablespoon of salt and add some slices of onions. Steam for 10 minutes till the meat gives off it’s juice. Add 2 cups of water, Leave to cook for at least 15 minutes or until it is tender. Wash and de-bone the fish, add into the stock and cook for 5 minutes before turning off the burner.
[22/03, 3:14 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Step 5: In an empty pot, heat up the palmoil for about 2 minutes, add the chopped tomatoes, onions and the ground pepper, stir-fry for 10 minutes. Add the groundnut paste into the pot.
[22/03, 3:17 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Rinse the blender cup with a little water and pour into the pot. Add the meat with the stock, ground dawadawa, crushed seasoning and yaji, stir and allow to boil for about 15minutes. Add the Zogale leaves and leave to simmer for 3 mins before turning off the burner. Serve with Tuwo shinkafa, tuwo masara, Burabisko or any form of "swallow
[22/03, 3:23 PM] ibraheemmonsurat42: Note.Kanwa is added to soften leaves nowadays people substitute it with baking powder.. If you boil ordinary zogale leaves it takes forever as in ur gas go finish but u can use firewood it tastes better without Kanwa or baking if u have the patience..

HOW TO MAKE FRIED RICE

fried rice is a delicious meal which is quite popular with kids and adults. It's also likely to come top on the list of foods loved by Nigerians. No Birthday, Wedding, Event, Ceremony is complete without fried rice which makes it a favorite go-to meal for special occasions. With the colorful veggies in the rice, i'd have to say it's highly nutritious. Fried rice can be served with Salad, Chicken, Fish, Moi Moi.

Ingredients:::
• 3 cups White Rice
• 2 cups Liquid Stock (Boiled meat water) i.e. Turkey stock, Beef Stock or Chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. Curry Powder (For Colour)
• 3 Seasoning cubes
• Salt to taste
• 4 cloves Garlic,minced
• 8 tbsp. Vegetable oil
• 3 medium sized Carrots
• 2 large Green Capsicum (Green bell pepper)
• 1 cup Green Peas
• 2 bulbs Red Onion
• A handful Green Beans
• 200g Cow Liver

Directions:::
Preparation of the liver

Wash the liver thoroughly with water and dice. Place the diced liver in a small pot, season with salt and steam for 10 minutes. Turn off the burner and set aside.

Preparation of the vegetables

Step 1: Scrape the back of the carrots, Wash and dice.

Step 2: Remove the seeds from the green bell pepper, Wash and dice.

Step 3: Wash and dice the runner beans.

Step 4: Wash and steam the green peas with a little salt to taste.

Step 5: Wash and chop the Onions.
Set the veggies aside.
Preparation of the Curried rice

Step 1: Parboil the rice in water for about 10mins. Cooking for this short period of time ensures it doesn't get too soft before the real curried rice preparation as well as removes some of the starch to prevent it from sticking together. Wash and rinse with clean cold water.

Step 2: Place the washed rice in a pot and add the Stock (I used turkey stock for this). Add some water, Curry powder (For color and taste), Seasoning cubes, Salt to taste and minced garlic. Cover the pot and leave to cook till the liquid in the pot dries up leaving the softened (But not too soft) rice .
 The Fried Rice Preparation

Fried rice is usually done in batches (if you want to go the Authentic way) so you’d have to divide the veggies, rice and liver into 4 batches (let’s call it batch 1,2,3,4)                Step 1: Heat two tbsp. of vegetable oil in a large pan.
Step 2: Add the batch 1 veggies (carrot, green pepper, peas, runner beans, onions) and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the liver (Batch 1) and stir-fry for 2mins. Add the rice (Batch 1) and stir to incorporate the mixture, leave for 1 minute before turning out into a pot.
Repeat the process above till the whole batch is used up
Note.If you do not want to go through the stress, Simply Stir-fry all the veggies and liver in a pan, Add it to the curried rice and mix to incorporate. Leave to heat further on low heat before turning off the burner.