Porridge with Nigerian twist

Yam Porridge

Yam is one of the dishes that can be easily prepared.

 

Yam is cultivated throughout the West African region and Caribbean. It can be used to make a simple meal yet a tasty meal.  It is firmer and denser; when properly cooked it is richer in taste than potato.  

Yam comes in three main varieties:

a) A yellow yam with a sweet taste it can be roasted and eatten with fresh palm oil and salt.

b) Water yam, (Ewura) is very soft; it can be used for various dishes like Ojojo (Akara yam), Ebiripo, Ikokore and so on.

c) The third one is the standard one, very popular and more abundant.

For our recipe today, we will use the standard whole yam. This recipe can feed 6 Adults.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg African Standard Yam
• 2 cooking spoonful Palm oil
• 20g Smoked fish
• 10g Cray fish
• 20g Onion
• 3g Fresh Hot Pepper
• 1 tablespoonful Granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoonful Black Pepper
• 10g Fresh Tomatoes
• Salt
• 2litres Water
• 2 Cubes Maggi

 Method:

• Slice the yam (as it is) into circle shapes around 3 inch
• Peel and cut into chunks then wash the yam properly and put it in a large pot
• Peel the onion and blend it with crayfish together in a coarse paste
• Wash the pepper and the tomatoes and blend into fine paste.
• Break up the smoked fish and wash in hot boiled water to remove the debris.
• Place the pot with the yam on the cooker; turn the cooker to high heat.
• Add 1½litres of water, 1 teaspoonful of Black pepper, 2 large wooden spoon  of palm oil and then 1 teaspoonful of salt to taste (1 teaspoonful) – then cover and cook to boil.
• As soon as the water starts boiling, stir it and add the onion and crayfish paste and the chunks of smoked fish and cover.
• After 5 -10 mins, add pepper and tomato paste and 2 cubes of Maggi seasoning cubes and cover to cook for 10mins
• By now, the porridge should be thickened, so reduce the heat by half and add the granulated sugar and stir together with wooden spoon (Optional). Stir and cover for 2-3 mins, then let it cool down and serve your delicious meal.

 Combine your yam porridge with fried fish, steamed fish, stick meat, chicken stew etc.

 

Happy Cooking :)