MY FAVOURITE NIGERIAN FOOD, EXPLICITLY!

temibot (64)in Speak Peace • 3 years ago

This week’s prompt could be easily misinterpreted – no offence, please. At first, I thought it meant we were to write about our favourite food in terms of preparation but it was kind of different and more than that. I had to re-read the prompt more like ten times – that’s hyperbolic anyways – but I did multiple times before I got the gist.

Well, that is bygone.. let’s get down to business.

You must have known that my favourite meal, as per an indigene of Ondo State, is pounded yam and egusi soup. Even the pronunciation sounds tasty really. This combo is as old as my origin itself.

Hey Hive Nigerians, there’s something special about Nigerian meals, don’t you think?

Of course, I do. Most, if not all, local meals are as symbols as the national cultural identity of a particular place. In fact, the universe has so much bestowed certain qualities in our agricultural lands here such that some foods grown, naturally, do not need all these seasonings, additives even salt to make them okay to eat. One good example of them is yam which is one of the main ingredients of my favourite food combo. Although I know that a species of yam called bitter yam exists. But the other species are okay (sweet) to eat by just naturally boiling them.

Oh my! I hope I have not wandered too far from the main topic sentence.

Now, to prepare pounded yam, of course, only yam is needed. The yam is peeled, washed thoroughly and placed in a pot and filled with water to boil. It is boiled till it almost attains a pulp-like structure. Here, a mortar and pestle are needed to finish the job. They are washed too and then the boiled yam is brought it and pounded vigorously – without remorse. Nowadays, I heard they now grind boiled yam but I tell you I can tell the difference between pounded yam and the one with the adulterated process - grounded yam.😂

To make the Egusi (melon seed) soup, the seeds are grounded to powdery form preferably. It is mixed with little water to form a paste and then fried using palm oil. Here, vegetables like the bitter leaf is usually used in conjunction with the egusi. You should check out my quintessential recipe for EGUSI SOUP WITH PONMO AND FISH.😁

Sneak peek from my recipe 😁

Going back to an average local setting in which I have been in one before, pounded yam and egusi soup does not just come to be eaten alone. Most times, your egusi soup ain't empty. It is usually filled with assorted elements such as bushmeat, fish, cow’s skin etc. And what food would you take without having a liquid to step it down? I hope you do not say water. Oh my!

Source

Here, we use palm wine to step things down to the bowels. We can humorously say that it is the wine poured from gourds that makes sure the food gets to the required destination and not miss road.😉

Consequently, due to the stress cost in the preparation of pounded yam, it usually accrues more cost to itself in buying it in food outlets. In the Nigerian economy today, a wrap of pounded yam sells for double the price of any other morsel food. But all the same, those of us who know the nutritional, personal and cultural benefit of the food still go ahead to buy it well, that is, not in limited quantity but enough to satisfy us at a particular eating round.

As well, some food outlets do not even sell it. But in a case I am in one, what I do is just to order a personally fair next rated food and make sure it is accompanied with egusi soup. At least, the soup does not take much time and I can manage that in the meantime. But I always pay my due respect to food outlets, ceremonies or homes that prepare the delectable combo of pounded yam and egusi soup.

May the forces be with you! Gracias! ✌️

#hivenaijaweekly #foodie #crossculture #hivenaija #favourite #food #recipe #ocd #creativecoin #vyb

3 years ago in Speak Peace by temibot (64)

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hivebuzz (74) 3 years ago

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