My mother never joked with feeding us well as little boys—my brother and I. Her mother, on the other hand, took it even more seriously and would pump us at every chance. That's how I discovered the magical wonders of pounded yam and vegetable soup.
Pounded yam and vegetable soup with assorted pieces of meat
Grandma used to run a big restaurant where she mostly sold hot swallow foods and soup and other foods like rice and yam. Her best seller was between the pounded yam and amala (made with plantain or yam flour). And, man, she used to sell A LOT with those two. And it was in one of our first visits as kids to her restaurant that I realised what I had been missing all my life.
Whenever my mom took us to visit grandma at her restaurant, it was like everything else would stand still just for my brother and to be treated as princes. Immediately, grandma would order her workers to set a table for her grandchildren and get us hot, sumptuous wraps of pounded yam, which Yorùbá people call "iyán." In conjunction with the smoking hot pounded yam, she would mesmerise our noses with ẹ̀fọ́ riro, a Yorùbá vegetable type of soup.
I wonder if this only happens to me, but whenever I eat too much and my stomach feels like it could burst if you poke it, I would begin to beg God to forgive me of eating without control and save my life. This often happens with foods like pounded yam and Àmàlà, my absolute favourite swallow foods.
If I am being honest, it's difficult to pick between àmàlà and iyán. If you know you want a "yes" from me, just prepare any of them, and I can give you half of my kingdom.
Àmàlà goes very well with àbùlà for me, with goat meat on top. Hot, black àmàlà made with Yorùbá love in conjunction with peppery àbùlà [grinded beans + tomatoes and pepper + jute leaves (ewedu)]. The way I am describing it is even making me want to go in search for it, but I shall maintain composure!
Gbegiri (grinded beans) in yellow, ewedu (jute leaves) in green, and tomatoes + pepper in red
The thing about iyán is that it is not commonly made in households. It requires a pestle and mortar and a lot of pounding of cooked yam to get the right texture and feel. Just about everybody can pound yam in my family. Fortunately, my grandma had all her children work with her at some point, and then I learnt from my mother.
My mother is surprising really good at pounding yam, even at 54 years. And, of course, her culinary desterity is world-class grade. So exquisite, so delicious every time.
Anyway, as I was saying...
My favourite dishes happen to be pounded yam and vegetable soup [iyán + ẹ̀fọ́ riro] and àmàlà and àbùlà. Just about any type of meat will go, but goat meat tends to call me more sometimes. Then just top everything with cold juice. And of course, the soups have to be spicy and have a tiny pieces of fish and ponmo (cow meat
When Yorùbá people say spicy, they really mean make-you-sweat-and-beg-for-water type of spicy. Yes. That's how we roll. No, it's not just a stereotype that we generally eat spicy foods.
Inspired by the #septemberinleo Day 12
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Your description makes me want to spend the rest of my fiat on amala, oh how I love good amala. Not the ones made with adulterated flour o, those ones that have a little undertone of a bitter aftertaste, what have you done Benjay 🤦🏽♀️😂. I love your description, maybe you should add food blogger to your info 😂. These combos are really good but sometimes as individuals units, some may taste bland like that yellow stuff (I’m not a very big fan). Also Iyan needs soup with an overpowering taste else it’s like mashed yam (my friends have warned me to say this out so I won’t be lynched 😂) but your blog made me forgive iyan and grant it another chance in my heart.
Adulterated flour! 😂 No o. Abeg. But you sure know your "good" amala. I'm only surprised you don't enjoy gbegiri. Oh my lawdd
The thing I even love about pounded yam is that it tastes alone, even without soup. So I usually have no worries when I run out of soup when I'm eating it.
I was sent to preach the gospel of iyan, ma 😂
Thank you, Gladyy!
Finally seen a foodie like me. Good food is life bro, when it comes to cooking, I'm always strong to do that 😋😋😋😋
Oh... So you consider cooking a hobby?
Yeah, I love trying new dishes
I have always wanted to taste Amala in that combination with gbegiri... Unfortunately I have never been lucky to get it even when I was at Osun state.
Wait a minute! So you have been missing all these years, Bipolar?? We must fix that sharp
🥹.... I dey wait, fix it 🤲🏿
I don't know too much about the dishes you mentioned here but I feel both were good when it comes to taste. I wish to get free food from a restaurant and I wouldn't need prince treatment also for it. Only free food would be enough for me. I hope someday you will treat me both foods if we meet anytime.
!PIZZA
Mr. man, where do you want to see free food in these hard time?? Looks like you're down to wash a lot of dishes... Lmao
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@intishar(3/5) tipped @olujay
So like this now, if I want you to give me like, 1000 HBD, I should just come to Lagos and prepare hoooooot Amala or Iyán? No problem. Now that you have broadcasted this secret, best be sure that there are many willing to take advantage. Let me go and buy the ingredients
Wait for me o… I’m coming…
Wait wait... be calming down.
Why is this all in Spanish?? 👀
Dangerous secret you have shared her😂
I really love this meal as well, hot and spicy...hmmm.
Oh, so you do you know these wonderful dishes... You know correct food
😂
Man! Man!! Man!!! Don't make all hivians migrate to Nigeria because of this your delicacies.
You should be a cook yourself from this in dept explanation
They are all welcome to Nigeria. There'll be enough amala and pounded yam for everybody...lol