SOUTH SOUTH RECIPES

EKPANGNKUKWO. (Cocoyam Food) There are many other wonderful delicacies that can be made out coco yam like; Cocoyam Porage. Ayan Ekpang (Calabar) Cocoyam and Beans Porage Cocoyam and Stew spiced with a special Garden egg. Roasted Cocoyam+ native oil sauce (Fast food at home) It could also be used to thicken white soup, as well as pounded cocoyam fufu

VEGETABLE SAUCE WITH PUMPKIN LEAVES INGREDIENTS Coco yam Meat Kpomo Stock Fish Salt Palm Oil METHOD With well chopped meat and kpomo, stock fish well cooked and made the whole thing into a very oily Edikang Ikong like sauce. Then, get the cocoyam well boiled to soft with salt as if you would do to yam. The I served it to my Gird friend. The cocoyam was chopped into mouthable bits and placed at one side of the plate place and the sauce at the other side of the plate. please be careful with kind of Palm oil you use for the sauce, it could spoil the show if you get a sticky oil with some kernel smell

COCOYAM POTTAGE

INGREDIENTS Cocoyam Water Tomato Paste Salt Ground Crayfish Spinash Palm Oil METHOD Boil the cocoyams in the right amount of water, when it is soft, then add a few tablespoonful of tomato paste or sauce. Then add salt, ground crayfish, spinach and little palm oil. After ten minutes, then stir and let it simmer.

You can serve it hot or cold.

EDIKANG IKONG

INGREDIENTS 8 medium pieces of Beef 6 medium pieces of Cow Skin 1 medium size Smoked Fish (calabar type preferably) 1 small size Stockfish Head 4 medium bunch of Ikang Ubong (pumpkin leaves) 2 medium heap of Water Leaves 1 small bulb Onion (optional) 3 medium size Fresh or Dry Peppers (or 1 tablespoon) 3 cooking spoons of Palm Oil 3 tablespoons Crayfish (dried & ground) 4 Maggi cubes 4 cups Water Salt METHOD Wash and season the beef with salt, maggi cube, few slices of onion and steam with the washed stockfish head till the juices dry up Add the crayfish, washed smoked fish, pepper & palm oil to the pot containing the meat, stockfish and cow skin. Add the remaining maggi cubes and the shredded water leaves Stir and cover the pot, cook for about 2 minutes

Add the shredded ikong ubong leaves and cover the pot Simmer for another few minutes, stir Remove from heat and serve with cassava fufu, pounded yam or eba

ATAMA SOUP

INGREDIENTS QUANTITIES Beef 8 medium pieces Fresh or smoked fish 1 medium size Cow skin 10 medium pieces Stockfish head 1 medium head. Perewinkle in shell (optional) 1 cup Atama leaves 1 small bunch Palm fruit 1 mudu Crayfish (ground) 3 tablespoons Uyayak (local spice) 1 small piece Maggi Crayfish tablet 1 Water (for extraction of the oily liquid) 2 litres Salt to taste. METHOD Cut a little piece of the tail end of the perewinkle remove the intestine, then wash thoroughly to remove all the mud. Wash and boil the palm fruits for about 30 minutes. Strain off the water and pound till the fibres come off the nuts. Heat the water to be just warm, add to the pounded palm fruit and mix thoroughly then strain off the oily extract. Wash and season your meat with salt, Maggi Cube and small pepper then steam for about 5 minutes on low heat. Add about 1 cups of water, stockfish head and continue boiling for about 20 minutes till the meat is almost cooked, and remove from heat. Cut the Atama leaves into very fine pieces then pound for about 10

minutes till the leaves are finely pounded. Place the oily extract on the burner and allow to boil for about 5 minutes. Add cooked meat,and washed smoked fish, meat stock, perewinkle, crayfish, pepper and Maggi Crayfish and Uyayak. Stir and allow to boil for about 10 minutes. Add the atama leaves and allow to boil without stirring for another 10 minutes. Stir, and add salt to taste. Allow to simmer for another 15 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat and serve with pounded yam or cassava fufu or boiled white rice

AFANG SOUP INGREDIENTS water, broth or stock one pound meat (some combination of stew meat, oxtail, tripe, or bushmeat); cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces one hot pepper, left whole (for mild soup or chopped (for spicy soup) one onion, chopped several periwinkles (sea snails or other edible snails -- where snails are not available clams or muscles may be used) salt one or two pieces dried fish (stockfish and/or other dried fish); skin and bones removed, soaked and rinsed in hot water one to two pounds afang leaves (ukazi leaves, or similar -- outside Africa, any other greens may be substituted); cleaned, stems removed, and torn into pieces or pounded with a mortar and pestle (or crushed with a rolling pin) one pound waterleaf (or spinach); cleaned, stems removed, and torn into pieces one cup dried shrimp or prawns, crushed one to two cups palm oil METHOD In a large pot oven heat a few cups of water (or broth or stock) to a near boil . Add meat to pot. Cook for a few minutes on high heat. Add onion and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer. While meat is simmering: In a separate pan bring a few cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Place the periwinkles in the boiling water. Cover and cook for two or three minutes. Remove snails from water. Use a pick or small fork to remove the snails from their shells. Remove the inedible hard "foot" from each of the snails. Rinse the snail meat in cool water. Drain and sprinkle with lime or lemon juice. If using other shellfish, process in a similar fashion. Add the snails (or their substitute) and the dried fish to the pot with the meat. Cover and simmer for several minutes. Add the greens (afang and waterleaf, or their substitutes), and the crushed dried shrimp or prawns. Add more water, broth, or stock as needed. Pour palm oil into soup. Add salt to taste. Cover and continue to simmer until the greens -- and everything else -- is completely cooked and tender, half an hour or more, stirring occasionally. cabali think this is an efik soup abi? I go try cook am this weekend and post pics next week sometime

WHITE SOUP INGREDIENTS: Whole chicken cut up ( I use live old layer - quite tasty too) Salt

Nutmeg (4) cracked Pounded yam (thickener) Periwinkle Ngolo (sea snail) optional Scent leaf (nchawu) cut - used for preparing pepper soup Dried fish (lady fish, gboh or doro) Crayfish (grinded) Fresh pepper (grinded) Onion (large) - cut into pieces 2 knorr (or maggi) cubes METHOD place the cut chicken (goat meat and snail can be used instead of chicken and of course the cooking time should be less) in a pot, add salt, 3/4 cupful water, nutmeg, knorr cubes and allow to boil for 25-35 mins, adding small amount of water when necessary. Add the dried fish (washed with warm water to remove sand) and ngolo which is sold same place as the periwinkle, pepper, onion, grinded crayfish, cover pot and allow to cook for 5-15mins, add the periwinkle, small quantity pounded yam (you don't want the soup to be too thick!), cover pot and cook for 5 mins, stirring to see that most of the yam has melted, then add small quantity of the scent leaf (cut), Allow to simmer for 1 min, correct seasoning, then remove pot from fire. Serve with pounded yam or eba

BANGA SOUP

INGREDIENTS

500g / l1b Assorted parts of meat 225g / 8oz stockfish (pre-soaked) 225g / 8oz bushmeat (washed) 1kg / 2Ib oil-palm nuts 225g / 8oz ground crayfish 1pt stock or water 225g / 8oz Okro (sliced) 100g / 4oz groundpepper 1 onion (sliced) half teaspoonful of ground ataieko half teaspoonful of igeriejae salt to taste

METHOD Place the washed meat in a large pot, add a drop of water or stock season with salt and ground pepper and boil for 30 minutes or until tender. Add the smoked fish and stockfish, cook for another 10 minutes. Prepare the oil-palm nut to extract the oil by boiling the washed nuts for 20 minutes until soft. Remove from water and pound to remove the oil. Pass through a sieve to separate the kernels from the chaff. Pour the strained pulp into the meat together with the sliced peppers onions' tomatoes puree and Okro. Add about half teaspoonful of grounded ataieko and igeriejae spices. Some would include dried bitter leaf. Sprinkle in the crayfish and cook for 15minutes until the soup is fairly reduced and thickened to coat the back of spoon. Check seasoning and serve with pounded yam (Iyan) or Usin/Egun obobo (starch & plantain pudding).

VARIATIONS Fresh fish crayfish and shrimps could be used instead of meat with a small amount of ground egusi added instead of Okro. A glass of orange juice or palm wine will be great to go with this delicacy.

ONUNU (River State Food) INGREDIENTS fresh pepper, onion, palm oil, salt, maggi, crayfish (optional), yam, ripe plantains, fresh fish (preferably cat fish or tilapia). METHOD peel the yam and cut into preferable small sizes, wash and put in the pot, add water and cook for 3mins, peel the plantain and cut to preferable small sizes, add to the boiling yam. add salt, pepper,onion, maggi, crayfish after 3 mins, clean your fresh fish, wash and steam together with the yam and plantain. add enough water and allow to cook 4 10 mins. remove the yam and plantain, put in a mortar and pound, add the pounded fresh pepper, palm oil and salt to taste, pound all together till it,s mixed properly and smooth enough. remove and put in a plate, pour your pepper soup in anther plate, your food is ready, enjoy!

NATIVE SOUP (River State: popular with the kalabari and okrika people. its full of lots of seafood!) INGREDIENTS prewinkle, ngolo or mgbe, fresh prawn, grounded achi, fresh fish, salt, pepper, maggi, palm oil, uziza leaf (optional). METHOD put the quantity of water u want in a put and put on the fire, wen the water starts boiling add palm oil, salt,pepper, fresh fish and maggi and allow to boil for 5mins, add your grounded achi till u get your desired thickness, stir for a while so as to prevent the achi from forming lumps and being burnt at the bottom of the pot, after three mins add your ngolo, prewinkle, fresh prawn and cook 4 three mins. add your uziza leaf and cook 4 two mins, bring the pot down. your soup is ready, u can eat with pounded yam, semo, garri or fufu.

KEKEFIA - IJAW DISH This dish is tasty and really nutritious is the meal. Popularly eaten by the Ijaws , if your aim is to keep fit or loose some KG, then this meal should be included in your dish and the max, 3 times a week, dinner most preferably. INGREDIENTS Plantain unripe (2 Periwinkles 1 milk cup Dry fish 1 large unit Onions 2 big bulbs Scent leave 1 bulb Water 1/2 litre Crayfish 1 tbspn Palm oil 1 cooking spoon Seasoning - (Maggi/Knorr (1cube) (salt to taste) (Dry blended pepper) METHOD (preparing all ingredients down) Peel plantain, wash and slice in cubes or as desired, Shred scent leave, slice onions in tiny bits, clean perewinkle and bring to a boil for 5minutes then set aside, Clean and wash dry fish to rid it of sand. In a clean pot, bring 1/2 litre of water to a semi boil, pour in sliced plantain and onions and cover pot to boil under a bit above medium heat for 10minutes. Now add Maggi, dry blended pepper, creyfish, dry fish and perewinkle without stirring. Cover for to boil for 2minutes. Open pot and add the palm oil and stir then cover to simmer under low heat for 2 more minutes.

TAPIOCA INGREDIENTS Tapioca, 900g 1 Coconut flesh(grated) and its milk(seived) 4 Bay leaves Cloves(a pinch) water METHOD: Soak Tapioca overnight. In the morning, after rinsing the seasonings, place them in a pot and add 1/2 glass of water. Bring to boil. Seive off the leaves and cloves. Then add to extract tapioca and cook till the granules are almost transparent. Slow the heat and add coconut milk and 1 tsp of the flesh. Cook until the milk is incorporated into the tapioca, and by then is totally transparent. To sweeten, add sugar, honey, or syrup. For a more creamy custard, add milk (unsweetened) P.S. Do not stir the custard too much as this will make it messy As for the remaining coconut flesh, you could make it into a snack by adding it to warm syrup in a pan/wok and stir consistently till the flakes golden and sticky. Mold into balls while still warm, then leave on a rack to set. ENJOY!

PEPPER SOUP Meat/Chicken/Fish (fresh water) either of these that meat can be beef, cowleg or cowtail (cowtail is werking for me) INGREDIENTS 1 small stalk of Efirrin (Saint leaf) 1 ball of onion Spices (already ground) check with stall that stock such Seasoning to taste Salt Water (5 cups) METHOD Wash the meat or fish or whatever you are using and bring to boil. if its beef, u can dice it after boiling. add the spice and let it simmer add the effirin and seasoning if its not hot enough, you can add a little grounded pepper add salt to taste serve hot please take with chilled drink

KUNUN KWAKWA INGREDIENTS Coconut Milk Sugar Corn flour Water

1 whole 1 tin to taste 2 tbsps 2 cups

METHOD Grate the coconut and blend with the 2 cups of water.Sieve the blended coconut in a pot and put to boil.Mix the corn flour with about 2 tbsps of water.Make sure the coconut boils and then you add the mixed flour stirring through out.Let boil for 2 mins,then add the milk and Sugar.Remove from heat.Serve hot.

EDITAN SOUP INGREDIENTS A bunch of editan leaves (shredded and washed till the bitterness is out) a bunch of waterleaf(shredded) 3 bells of fresh pepper a cup of ground crayfish a bottle of palm oil meat (beef, goatmeat or any of your choice) stockfish mfi ikpa i.e ponmo maggi cubes as you wish salt METHOD how to wash the editan leaves pour the shredded leaves into a pot of boling water and leave for 10 minutes, bring down from fire, squeeze, rinse severally till the bitter taste if out. Preparation Add pepper, onions and maggi cube to meat, mfi, stockfish, ikpa and steam till soft. Add some water. Allow to boil. Add the shredded waterleaf, allow to boil, add crayfish and palm oil. Allow to boil for like 10mins. Add the editan leaves and stir. Add salt to taste. Allow to boil

for a while then bring it down from fire. Serve with garri or whatever it is that you prefer to mold. Will be back with the rest abeg. Note that this soup consumes palm oil like crazy and that the editan has to be more than the waterleaf. Hope I did that well o.

EFERE IBABA Efere" in Efik/Ibibio mean soup and Ibaba is the seed fromthe Ibaba plant. If you know how the "Ogbono" looks like from source then you will have a very fare idea of what Ibaba would look like. INGREDIENTS 1 Half a tea cup of Ibaba seeds (processed) 2. 2cups of water 3. half a tea cup of crayfish 4. A teaspoon of papper 5. Sizeable stock fish 6. dryfish 7. 10grammes of Uyayak 8. A teaspoonful of shrimps 9. A teaspoonful of table salt. METHOD

EDITAN SOUP (RECIPE 2) INGREDIENTS

QUANTITIES

Snails (optional) 4 medium size Smoked Fish 1 large size Stockfish head 1 medium size Beef (optional) 8 medium pieces Perewinkle (inshell) 2 cups Odusa leaves (optional) 2 small bunches Editan leaves 1 big bunch Water leaves 4medium heap Crayfish (ground) 3 tablespoons Dry Pepper 1 level tablespoon Palm oil 4 cooking sppons Maggi Cubes 3 1 litres Water Salt to taste. METHOD Wash, season and boil the stockfish together with the beef for about 45 minutes and set aside for use later. Wash and bone the fish. Pour boiling water on already cut and pounded leaves then, strain. Rinse the leaves thrice to reduce the bitterness. Pick and wash the waterleaves and cut into tiny pieces. Get rid of some of its water by squeezing a little bunch at a time between your palms. Pick and wash the Odusa leaves then cut into fine pieces. Periwinkle can be used either in the shell, which is the traditional way, or out of shell. Chop off the tail end of the Periwinkle with a large knife, wash thoroughly to remove all dirt, and mud. Add waterleaves into the pot containing the meat and stockfish already placed on the burner. Stir, add fish, crayfish, pepper, water, and Maggi cubes and allow cooking for another 6 minutes. Stir. Add the palm oil. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the Editan leaves and cover the pot. Do not stir immediately after adding Editan leaves, then cook for 10-15 minutes. But you can shake the pot to enable the leaves have an even spread. After 10-15 minutes, stir and taste the soup.

Add salt if necessary, and then add odusa leaves last and cook for another 4 minutes. Editan soup is served with fufu, Ekpang Iwa or Eba. courtesy of Maggi E- Cookbook

EKPANG NKUKWO (Recipe 2) (for one serving) INGREDIENTS 5 cocoyams-grated into a paste(you have to ask for the tiny ones for ekpang nkukwo, not the ones for boiling) half wateryam- also grated into a paste mfi(with the shell) One bottle of palm oil ibad (dry fish) a cup of crayfish 5 cubes of maggi fresh pepper ntong leaves or iko leaves-shredded (they are all spice leaves) a bunch of young cocoyams leaves, shredded for wrapping( you can ask someone to help you shred the leaves for wrapping the cocoyams into the tender leaves) ikpa i.e ponmo cut into tiny bits snail(optional) salt to taste METHOD put some palm oil in the pot to cover the base of the pot, pour in the periwinkes. Mix the cocoyams with the wateryam, add sallt to the mixture and knead. wrap the mixture into the cocoyam leaves little by little. After wrapping and arrangin in pot, add pepper, crayfish, maggi cubes, dry fish, ikpa and every other ingredient on the top of the food. Pour in some hot water.

This is to make it not to burn while boiling and also note; do not stir it until it is done. When it is done, use a spatula to stir it gently and mix the ingredients. Do not stir it vigorously else it will end up looking like egusi soup. After it is well browned, add more palm oil and other ingredients as you wish. Allow to boil more, you can then taste cos the itchiness from the leaves and cocoyam has been neutralised. Bring it down and serve it piping hot. I really hope this helps cos I was just giving an express explanation. It is better taught face to face or practically cos that is the only way you can get it right. Just try it though and ask your man to help you out. Cheers.

AFIA EFERE

This light Efik soup is traditionally cooked without oil using goatmeat or chicken in which case, they are called "afia efere ebot" or "afia efere unen" respectively. Fresh fish can also be used. INGREDIENTS I kg / 2 lb fresh goatmeat I medium smoked fish (washed) 250g / 8oz fresh okro (sliced) 100g/4oz ground crayfish 250g / 8oz pounded yam 25g / I oz chopped fresh chillies I uyayakpod 1ltr/2 pint stock or water salt to taste METHOD Wash and cut the meat into even size pieces. Season with salt and boil for 30 minutes or until soft and tender. Add the stock, washed fish, chopped chillies, okro and ground crayfish. Break the uyayak pod into small pieces and add to the pot. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Mould the pounded yam into small rounds and drop into the soup to slightly thicken. Add seasoning and serve with pounded yam.

ENGLISH NAMES FOR INGREDIENTS USED IN NIGERIAN CUISINEAfang / Ukazi leaves (gnetum African) Dark green Shiny foliage of the creeping afang plant cultivated mostly in Calabar and Igbo land are used a great deal in the cooking of these regions. It can be bought ready shredded from African food stores. Atama leaves / Beletientien This is an annual Herb cultivated in the delta areas. It smells and taste like tarragon; usually used fresh or dried in Banga soup. Use dried leaves sparingly as flavor is more intense. Readily available from African food stores. Avocado (persea Americana) Tropical fruit with thick warty skin usually greenish or purplish in color. The edible flesh inside surrounds a large oval shape seed. It is light yellow and soft when ripe. Avocados can be eaten on its own or cut in half and filled with cooked seafood (Avocado and prawn cocktail). Beans or Cowpeas Black-eye beans or Brown beans have become indispensable in Nigeria cuisine because of it versatility in use. It requires overnight soaking before use for dishes like Akara Moin-mom and Gbegiri soup. Banana This is one of the most important food crops in Nigeria. Widely eaten on it's own or in fruit salads they make a good substitute for plantains. The leaves are usually used for wrapping foods such as Anyan-Ekpang or Ebiripo for steaming. Baking foil or greased parchment paper make adequate substitute but do not add the delicate flavour that banana leaves give. Bitterleaf A leafy green vegetable that is widely used in soups like Egusi for its bitter but sweet flavor. The fresh leaves is prepared like spinach and washed with salt; rubbing and squeezing to remove some of the bitterness before use. Can be bought fresh or ready washed and air-dried.

Several species of Vernonia, including V. calvoana, V. amygdalina, and V. colorata, are eaten as leaf vegetables. Common names for these species include bitterleaf, ewuro, ndole and onugbu. They are common in most West African and Central African countries.wiki

Chilli Peppers Chilli peppers are the fruit of Capsicum Frutescens plant with red orange or yellow pods which are very hot rich in Vitamin A & C and widely used in Nigerian cooking. While the flavor in the chilli lies in the flesh and skins much of the heat potency rests in the seeds and veins which can be removed. Green chillies are a lot hotter than the red ones. The active chemical con stituent is capiasin renowned for stimulating digestive process and helping to relieve heat fatigue in hot climates by inducing perspiration. Breadfruit These are large green fruits which hang like lanterns from tress. Only edible when cooked and taste like boiled potatoes. It could also be fried as crisp. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Cassava is a tropical vegetable with a long tu berous root and dull green palmate leaves. Mature tubers have brown mottled skin with a white fibrous flesh. It can be cooked and eaten with coconut (Eberebe); but mostly used for making Gad (Cassava grains) and Fufu. Used as accompaniment to soups and stews. It can be bought ready made as gaff or cassava flour (Fufu). Cocoyam Cocoyams are similar to large potatoes usually with a fibrous skin. In Nigeria the plant is grown for both it's tubers and leaves. The young and tender leaves are used in preparing Ekpang Nkukwo (cocoa-yam pottage). Spinach leaves make adequate substitute. These tubers can also be boiled roasted or fried. Corn / Maize Sweet corn or maize as it is commonly known is grown

throughout Nigeria as a food source. The plant grows to a height of about seven feet. When fully matured the swollen fruits are called cobs and it is these which are picked and used for food. The cobs can be boiled roasted or cooked with beans as a main course. A number of by products are obtained from the grains including Ogi (corn-starch) and corn oil which is low in saturates and cholesterol. Crayfish Smoked dried prawns or shrimps used for flavoring soups and savory dishes. Usually sold whole or grinded. Egusi (cirullus colocynthis) melon seeds Seed of the African melon fruit used in preparing Egusi soup. Should be grinded before use. Can be oily but adds a nutty flavor to the soup. Ewedu (corchorus olitorius) Shiny green leave vegetable rich in Vitamins A C & D. Use in making sauces to accompany stews and enjoyed for its mucilaginous or viscous properties. Sold fresh or dried. also known as jute. Elubo Dried powdered yam flour for making amala (cooked yam flour pudding). Fufu Fermented cassava dough usually served cooked to accompany soups. Garden eggs (solanum melongena) Also knows as African eggplant a member of the aubergine family. A round shiny green and yellow fruit with a slightly bitter taste. Garden eggs are eaten raw as a fruit or diced and added to stews. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) Like a set of twins groundnut mature together in light coloured shells which are flaky and easy to break. Grown profusely in Northern Nigeria the seeds are harvested for their oil and protein. They can be eaten raw boiled roasted and pureed for making groundnut soup. Groundnut oil is used for cooking.

Iru (locust bean) parkia biglobosa Fermented locust or black beans. They have a slightly salty taste and a pungent smell. They are used as seasoning in soups. Usually sold fresh or dried packed Kaun (Rock salt) potash Usually added to food especially pulses during cooking for faster tenderisation and to increase the viscosity in Okro and Ewedu sauce. Also used for emulsifying oil and water in some traditional soups. Mango (mangifera indica) This kidney shaped fruit is pinkish or yellowish in colour. When fully ripe it is lusciously sweet and succulent with the golden flesh. Mango is common in fruit platters and salad. Millet (pennisetum) Tiny yellow grains obtained from plant that looks like bull rushes with a maize like stalk. Grows widely in Northern Nigeria and used mostly for porridge and gruel. Okro (lady fingers) These vegetables are curved seed pod up to 9 inches Long they are usually eaten cooked in soup and salads. Apon (ogbono Seed)Irvingia gabonensis This seeds are obtained from the nuts of the African mango bush and air dried in the sun. It has a subtle aromatic flavor and it's very mucilaginous when cooked. Can be bought whole or powdered. Pawpaw (Carica papaya) This is a fruit of woody herbaceous plant that looks like a tree. It is eaten ripe (yellow or orange in color) in fruit salads or stuffed for starters or main course. Plantain A large member of the banana family plantain is less sweet than banana and is more versatile in use. It is often boiled toasted or fried and served with meat stews because the tissue has a starchy taste than sweet banana. It is best cooked with plenty of spices onions tomatoes and peppers (plantain pottage).

Ugwu (Pumpkin leaves) telfairi occidentallis These trailing green leaves of the pumpkin plant rich in minerals and vitamins. Use in various soup preparations It is the chief ingredient in cooking Edikang Ikong soup. Fresh spinach can be used as substitute in any recipe if not available. Pumpkin seeds can also be eaten. Utazi leaves (crongromena ratifolia) This is a bitter tasting pale green leaf usually used for flavouring pepper soup. Very sparingly used. It can also be used as a substitute for bitter leaves. Uzouza leaves or Ikong Etinkinrin This sweet smelling aromatic and spicy pale green leaf vegetable is also used for flavoring soups especially (Ibaba soup). Yam (Dioscorea sp) The plant grows as a vine to height of six to eight feet. The edible tubers comes in various shapes and sizes; usually dark brown in color and hairy to the touch. The flesh is white or yellow and when cooked it has a pleasant flavor when cooked rather like potato. It is harvested in dry season with a gig feast known as Yam Festival in Igbo land. Yam still forms the staple diet of a large number of people in Nigeria. It is cooked in different ways including boiled roasted and fried. When pounded it is served as accompaniment to soups and stews. Sorghum Also known as guinea corn sorghum is cultivated mainly in Northern Nigeria. Used for porridge or pap (gruel). Snail These are large forest creatures covered with a hard shell. Taste rubbery when overcooked it is rather an acquired taste. Oils From a health stand point fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated oils such as butter coconut and palm oil are known to in crease the amount of cholesterol carried in the blood but since regional cuisine is characterized by the type of oil used lesser quantities or half the amount in a given recipe could always be used.

Groundnut oil This is used for frying and also added to stews and other savory dishes. It has a pleasant and unobtrusive taste; favorable in making mayonnaise and could be heated to a high temperature without burning. Corn oil This oil pressed from the germ of germ of maize (corn) is high in poly unsaturated and low in cholesterol. It is used the same way as groundnut oil. It can also be heated to a high temperature without burning. Palm oil This rather tasty and nutty thick and waxy rustic red colored oil is extracted from the flesh of the oil-palm nut fruits. It is widely used in Nigerian cooking especially in the traditional soups and stews for color and taste but usually in small quantity as it is high in saturates. Water leaf (talilum triangulare) This is the most widely used of all green leaf vegetables. It is rich in iron calcium and vitamin A and C and it is best eaten lightly cooked in soups and stews. spinach can be used in recipes calling for waterleaf. Kuka leaves Leaves of the baobab tree usually sold dried in powder form and used for Kuka soup. IGBO (garden egg leaves) solanum manocarpum The young leaves of the garden egg plant. African Aubergines can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in stews. Soko (celosia argentea) This green leaf vegetable is much preferred in the making of Efo-riro. It taste like spinach. Tete (celosia viddis) This green is a close relative to Soko and is used interchangeable or in combination with it. It is widely grown in Western Nigeria.