Okra Soup - Mama's Style

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 kg okra 

500g king prawns (cleaned and deveined)

1/2 cup palm oil 

500g goat meat (chopped)

Small quantity of stockfish 

Salt to taste

Knorr seasoning cubes

1 large onion (finely chopped)

6 cubes of frozen spinach or fresh spinach

2 scotch bonnets (chillies)

1 small paprika pepper (tatshe)

2 and 1/2  cups water

Instructions

1. Wash the okra and slice using a knife; set aside.

2. Place stockfish,  meat and water in a pot, season with Knorr cubes, salt and handful chopped onion; cook until meats are nicely cooked and tender. Set aside.

3. Half the sliced Okro. Put one portion in a food processor alongside scotch bonnets, handful chopped onion and paprika pepper. Using the pause button, process until they are roughly chopped.

4. In a pot, heat up palm oil, then add the processed okra mix, frozen spinach and prawns; add 1/2 knorr seasoning cube. Fry for about 5 - 8 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through.

5. Add cooked meat and stockfish with stock; stir, taste and adjust taste by adding salt.

6. Cover pot with lid and allow to simmer for about 4 - 6 minutes.

7. Add the other portion of Okra, stir; add more water if need be. Allow to cook for about 4 - 5 minutes.

8. Turn off gas and enjoy with any swallow of choice.

Nigerian Buns

Ingredients 

2 and 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

2 of (1/4) cups Nido powder milk (i.e 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup)

1 cup + 2  of (1/4) cups warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Oil for deep frying

Instructions

• Place all dry ingredient in a mixing bowl, then crack in the eggs, followed by water.
• Using your hand, mix until well mixed.
• Cover with cling film and set aside. 
• In a deep pot or wok, add oil for deep frying and heat up.
• Once heated, scoop in the batter into the hot oil, fry until golden brown.
• Transfers fried buns on to a kitchen tissue, so excess oil can soaked out.ni
• Turn off gas before frying the next batch. (because the oil is still very hot, it will fry the batter up to the point that it starts to float, at this point, turn on the gas and fry till golden brown. 
• Repeat the process for the rest. 
• Enjoy hot. 

Spicy Honey Wings

Ingredients

1 kg chicken wings

1 tablespoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoon sesame oil 

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 

1/2 lime (Juiced)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven, gas 180 degrees celsius.

Cut of the tip of the wings and discard. Place chicken wings in a bowl, add all ingredients and mix until wings are all coated. 

Place wings on a shallow non-stick baking pan and in the oven. 

Roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, transfer chicken on to another baking tray. Add 2 tablespoons chilli sauce, toss the honey wings and ensure they are well coated.

Return in the oven and allow to grill further for 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Simple Yam Pottage

Ingredients

750g yam (peeled and cut into small chunks)

100g spinach leaves

1/2 large onion

1 paprika pepper

1/2 teaspoon Foodace Pepper soup spice 

150g smoked mackerel fillets

1 scotch bonnet (optional)

4 tablespoons palm oil 

1 knorr seasoning cube

1 cup water

salt to taste

Instructions

Place yam and mackerel fillets in a medium pot. Set aside.

In a blender, add onion, scotch bonnet, paprika pepper and water; blend until smooth. 

Pour blended mix into the yam pot, add seasoning cube, salt, palm oil and boil on a medium heat. 

Allow boiling for 8 minutes, stir and reduce gas heat; allow simmering so the yam can soak up ingredients and soften nicely too. 

Allow to simmer for another 8 minutes or until yam is cooked nicely.
Once cooked and thickened, add spinach; stir and  turn off gas.

Turn occasionally as this encourages thickening of the yam.

Enjoy

Homemade Chilli Sauce

Every chilli sauce recipe I have created was inspired by my chilli sauce addict husband. His love for extra spicy foods is just out of this world. After having our kids, I stopped cooking spicy foods simply because I want all of us to enjoy our meals without anyone crying about the meal being too spicy. This was how the chilli sauce production was born. At first, hubby was the one making them by himself for his sole consumption (lol), then I joined in the chilli licking business, then took over the production. I must say, it has been an amazing chilli sauce adventure for us.

This chilli sauce is versatile and can be used in every single dish; be it bbq meats, fresh fish, chicken and for cooking as well. It literally makes my life easier; saves me blending time. It is subtle with a lovely sweet taste to it before the chilli hits your tastebuds.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

7 scotch bonnets

2 paprika peppers (tatashe)

6 garlic cloves

1 and 1/2 onions

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon pod (optional)

 handful parsley 

1/3 cup sunflower oil or any oil of choice

Salt or any seasoning cube to taste.

Instructions

Deseed the paprika peppers, place in a food processor along side with onions, scotch bonnets, parsley and garlic; process until roughly chopped.

Heat up oil on a medium heat and fry pepper mix. Season with salt or seasoning cubes to taste. Frying should take about 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

Allow to cool down completely before bottling. Store in the fridge.

Recipe by Belle Nnorom

@Foodace

Foodace Homemade Strawberry Cough Remedy

I have been making this cough remedy for my kids and it works magic, especially when they've got very dry irritating cough. Its so soothing...

I usually use ginger, honey, lemon and lime but this time I added apple cider vinegar. Apple cider is great source of Vitamin A, B6, C and other minerals, which helps kids fight infections and diseases. 

Ginger works magic even when chewed alone. Ginger works as an expectorant, which helps loosens and expel mucous from the lungs/chest cavity. Also, it stops that painful tickle at the back of the throat. 

Honey, on the other contains antiviral properties that could inhibit viral activities from colds. However, honey is not suitable for children under 12months, especially wild honey as it may contain spores of clostridium botulinum, which when ingested by infants can cause serious health problems. 

Lemon and lime, we know contains Vitamin C which helps strengthen the immune system and also treat cold symptoms.

Here is how you can make your own cold buster;

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 lemon (squeezed)

1 lime (squeezed)

3 tablespoons honey

40g ginger (skin peeled)

1 cup water

1 tablespoons Apple Cider vinegar

3 Strawberries to flavour (sliced)

Directions

Place ginger in a blender with water and blend until smooth.

Squeeze the lemon and lime using an electric or manual  squeezer: add it to the blended ginger mix. 

Then add honey and apple cider vinegar.

Mix well and strain, using a sieve. 

Bottle the syrup, add the sliced strawberries and store in the fridge, it can last for up to 3 weeks. 

Author: Foodace.