Do you want to take your taste buds on a spectacular journey? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you need to visit Nigeria. As a West African country with a wide variety of ethnic communities, Nigeria has a varied and rich culinary tradition.
Nigeria has one of the best cuisines in the world, which comprises dishes or food items obtained from the numerous ethnic group that makes up the country.
Nigerian cuisine is a fusion of spices and flavours. The list of foods in Nigeria is endless, and the culinary style in the country varies from region to region, and can be an excellent insight into a country’s diverse history and culture. Before you head to Nigeria, here are 10 Nigerian traditional foods you need to know, and try them on your next trip.
1. Jollof rice:
A wholesome and classic Nigerian dish, Jollof rice is deeply rooted in Nigerian and many West African cuisines, and is primarily made from rice with tomato and pepper-based stew. Many families will make this dish using meat stock.
2. Egusi Soup
Perhaps nothing is more synonymous with Nigerian food than egusi soup and swallow. Made with ground melon (egusi) seeds and other Nigerian leafy vegetables, seasonings, and assorted meat, preferably. Egusi soup is served dishes like eba, amala, pounded yam (iyan), fufu, etc. And almost always available in eateries and restaurants all over the country.
3.Garri(Cassava Flakes)
This is undoubtedly the popular staple food eaten in Nigeria. It is consumed in the majority of the households in Nigeria, irrespective of region or ethnicity. Garri is prepared from cassava. The cassava is first harvested, peeled, washed, and ground.
The grounded cassava is drained of water, some starch and hydrocyanic acid before it is sieved and fried in a hot pan. The result of this process is called garri.
4.Suya
This is simply nicely cut beef that is spiced and grilled over an open flame. It is served with fresh cabbage, tomatoes, and onions. It is usually wrapped with old newspapers or aluminum foil and eaten during the evening.This spicy delicacy is a specialty of the Hausa people of Northern Nigeria. A special kind of spice mix called Yaji is usually added to the meat before grilling.
5. Pepper Soup
This is also a very common delicacy eaten in almost every part of the country. It usually contains a plethora of beef, chicken, mutton or fresh fish. It is usually sold at bars where it is accompanied by beer.It is a very healthy soup due to the natural spices used to prepare it. A touch of pepper soup on the tongue leaves an unforgettable taste that will keep you asking for more. It is very spicy, delicious and comes with a nice aroma.
6. Nkwobi
This is a very common soup among the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria. Nkwobi is prepared from cow legs and head, and is mostly a traditional dessert, adequately garnished with Utazi leaves and palm oil. It is usually eaten with a glass of palm wine, which is said to be the best drink to flush it down the belly.
7. Beans and Plantain
If you visited Nigeria and didn’t taste this food, your trip was incomplete. There is an abundance of beans and plantain in Nigeria, therefore preparing this delicious delicacy is not a problem. This combination is made as portage and richly garnished with dried fish and other ingredients that are meant to increase the quality. Beans and plantain is a very special Nigerian delicacy that I believe you would love to taste.
8. Moin Moin(Nigerian Bean Cake)
One of the really good foods you can eat in Nigeria that will blow your taste buds is Moi Moi. It is a very delicious dish that has earned its popularity due to its unique taste. Just like Akara, it is made from processed beans but the difference is that instead of being fried it is boiled.
9. Tuwo Shinkafa
Tuwo shinkafa is a northern Nigerian traditional dish that is prepared with the rice pudding variety, and usually eaten with miyan kuka.
10. Amala and Ewedu
Ewedu is a delicious soup mostly associated with the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria. It is, however, a very popular delicacy in the country. Ewedu soup is made from the leaves of a Jute plant that is blended into a mucilaginous form such as okra soup. Ewede soup is usually garnished with a lot of meat and ponmo (cowskin) and best served with Amala. A tomato-pepper sauce can also be added to the Ewedu soup to accommodate for the slight bitterness possessed by the Jute plant leaves.
