Nigeria cuisine.

                            Nigerian  Cuisine

First, do you know where Nigeria is and what country Nigeria is? Let me introduce you about Nigeria. Federal Republic of Nigeria, where is located in Southern Africa, is the federal republic nation and one of British Commonwealth member nations. In 1960, North Province, Western Province,Eastern Province, it became independent from United Kingdom as three states of the Federal Republic.There are four races in Nigeria, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba and Ibo. Also, there are several hundreds of tribes. Dominant ethnic group in the north are Hausa do commerce and agricultural, and Fulani Nomadic widely distributed in West Africa. In the south, Yoruba in the west and Ibo in the east.

Next,Basic staple foods are Yam potato like taro, Cassaba, Semolina made from the same type flour of spaghetti, and rice. Basic of how to eat staple food is "Pounded." Pounded is the thing like rice cake. People put it to the source by using naked hands. But, there are differences between four races. Characteristics of each ethnic is as below.
 【Hausa】
　Since Hausa is distributed in arid regions, their staple food is cereal, like sorghum, millet and corn. They also eat Couscous of the people of desert, too. In recent years, rice is becoming staple food. At lunch and dinner, they eat "Tuwo"(the grain made to dough) with "Soya" or "Miya" (a kind of stew).There are various variations to "Meya", vegetables,pumpkin, beans, meats and so on.
 【Fulani】
   Traditionally, they take their livestocks and move to the place where livestocks can live and live by their livestocks. They have engaged in their lives, but some decides to settle down now. Their main foods are "Milet", milk and meats of their livestocks.
 【Yoruba】
    With further south than the residential areas of Fulani and Hausa, humidity and rainfall are high, so climate is different. Therefore, their staple foods are potatoes as yam and so on. Also, they eat corn, beans and rice. There is stew of many vegetables called "Efo Riro."      
  【Ibo】
    Main food of Ibo, which lives across Cameroon, is yam. They use a kind of melon that "Egushi" and bitter leaf in cooking.　 　

Nigerian Cuisine Recipe

Ofe Akwu : Igbo-style Banga Stew/Soup

 Ofe Akwu is a palm nut stew that is native to the Igbos in Nigeria. 
  It is similar to the Efik's Banga Soup,which is traditional prepared with native spices, known as Banga spices.These spices gives the soup a unique taste and flavor, which makes it a bit different from the Igbo's Ofe Akwu.
  It's common to see Ofe Akwu  served as a sauce for boiled Rice oryams,but you can also enjoy it with boiled plantains and a lot more. 
Here's how to prepare it.

Ofe Akwu Ingredients: 

* 400g of canned Palm fruit pulp/ 500g Palm Fruits
* 500g of boiled Beef
* 1/2 cup of cooked dried fish (optional)
* 1/2 cup of cooked stock fish (optional)
* 150 ml of Beef stock (from the cooked meat)
* 150g fresh Mackerel fish(Titus fish)
* 2 Handful shredded Ugwu OR Scent leaves OR Spinach
* 1 small onion bulb, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoonful ground crayfish
* 1 stock cube
* Chili pepper or scotch bonnet( to taste)
* Salt to taste


Cooking Directions for Ofe Akwu

*If you would be using fresh palm kernel fruit(nut),you'll have to wash and boil for 30 minutes and check to be sure the skin is soft enough and peels off easily. 
Then pound lightly in a mortar to extract the oil. Make sure you don't break the nuts,while pounding. Pour in some hot water, mix well and strain the extract through a sieve.
Put in a pot and boil until it thickens and the oil rises to the top.

*If you'll be using the canned palm nut pulp, pour into a pot and heat until the oil begins to rise to the top.

*Add the meat stock or water, depending on how thick or light you want the stew to be.The more stock you add the lighter, the soup will be.
Leave to boil for 10 minutes. 

*Now, add the cooked beef, the fresh fish ,cooked stock fish and dried fish. Also add the chopped onions,the pepper, ground crayfish,stock cube and salt to taste.  
Stir and Cover the pot;then leave to cook for 8 minutes.

*After 8 minutes,add the shredded leaves simmer for 2-3 minutes and your Ofe Akwu is ready. ENJOY..

Ofe Akwu is usually served with boiled Rice or yams,but can also be enjoyed with boiled plantains. 

Recipe
http://www.nigerianfoodtv.com/2014/03/ofe-akwu-igbo-style-banga-stewsoup.html