Tastes of Nostalgia

Everyone have got the foods that brings back some memory of a time or a place that they associate with some kind of fondness.
For me, most of those times are tied into my childhood, so I intend to share the recipes, foods and ingredients that I grew up with that I still look back on with warm nostalgia.

Akara/Kosai (Fried Bean Cake)

Akara (Fried Bean Cake)

Referred to as "akara" in southwestern and southeastern parts of Nigeria, and "kosai" in the northern parts. No matter what it is called, it is a very popular breakfast meal which is served alongside corn, millet or sorghum porridge called "ogi"
Growing up, the savoury smell of my mother's akara was synonymous with waking up on Saturday mornings. A combination of simple and the fewest ingredients that creates a taste explosion. Once you get the hang of the recipe, this is quite easy and quick to make, with the only difficulty being resisting the temptation to polish them all off as soon as they're cooked.

Soaked Nigerian Kidney Beans

Peeled Kidney Beans

Crayfish

Bean Paste

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Nigerian Kidney Beans (Honey Beans)
• 1 Scotch Bonnet
• 1 tbsp Crayfish
• 1 medium Onion (coarsely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 300ml Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 tsp All Purpose Seasoning
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Soak beans over night in tepid water
2. Peel beans by rubbing between your palms to loosen the bean coat and carefully sieving off the bean coats
3. Pour beans into blender and adding just the minimum amount of water to blend into a paste 
4. Add in scotch bonnet and blend into the bean paste
5. Pour into mixing bowl and add in olive oil, crayfish, onions, seasoning and salt
6. Mix together thoroughly to stir in air into the mixture (this will make the akara light enough to float during frying)
7. Heat vegetable oil in frying pan (do not heat to flash point otherwise the akara will scatter during frying)
8. Using a tablespoon, gently scoop in mixture into heated oil (oil should not be heated up to flash point to prevent the scoops from scattering)
9. Allow to fry for about 2 minutes, until browned, and then flip over to fry the other side
10. Scoop out onto kitchen towels to soak out excess oil

Makes 45 akara balls

Akara served with Ogi

Sorrel Juice (Zobo Drink)

Sorrel Juice

Everyone have got the foods that brings back some memory of a time or a place that they reflect on with some sort of fondness.
For me, most of those times and places are tied into my childhood, so I intend to share the recipes, foods and ingredients that I grew up with and that now I look back on with warm nostalgia.

Sorrel Petals

Today, I am sharing one of my childhood favourites; Sorrel Juice (Sobo Drink) with you. A refreshing drink that you can enjoy in the warmer months in its chilliest glory or in the colder months as a lovely brew to keep the sniffles away (tastes almost like mulled wine, without the effect *wink*). I can't help smiling as I remember when as a child, I would try so hard to get my lips stained with the crimson redness of the juice to give me a lipstick effect, and the disapproving glare that would earn me from my mum ☺.
A great social drink for sharing and entertaining, it's health benefits cannot be overlooked, and I will tell you all about that some other time.
I use the dried sorrel petals, because this is the form they can be sourced as when out of season. If you don't live where they are generally grown , then you will find them available in your local African, Caribbean or alternative health food stores. Amazon is also an online source.
But for now, please enjoy my easy recipe for making the Sorrel Juice.

Ingredients

• 75g Sorrel Petals
• 2 liters Water
• 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger Root (Grated)
• 8 Cloves
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp Lemon Peel
• 7 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves

Sorrel Petals - Boiling

Brown Sugar, Lemon Peel, Cloves & Cinnamon

Method

1. Pour water into saucepan and add in sorrel petals.
2. Bring to boil on medium heat and stir frequently.
3. Add in grated ginger, cloves, cinnamon, lemon peel and continue to boil on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, cover and allow to sit and cool to room temperature.
5. Over a pitcher, place a fine mesh strainer, and pour sorrel juice through leaving behind the solid ingredients.
6. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
7. Add mint leaves and refrigerate until chilled and serve with ice cubes (if preferred).

Sorrel Juice

Tip:

• You can add a splash of vodka, rum or gin to make a cocktail (FYI: Even though I referred to this being a part of my childhood, this step was not added until I was legally allow to drink ☺).
• As a remedy for cold or for those chilly winter nights, you can reheat and drink warm.

Serves 4-5

Fiery Grilled Chicken Wings

Just because summer now seems like a distant memory, it doesn't mean we can't bring some of the taste into autumn.
This is a dish that I practically grew up with, but over the years has transitioned from the original recipe in my mother's kitchen.
If I am asked to pick my one favourite thing about this dish, I would fail because there are several. I will leave you to decide on what yours is if you ever try this out.
Fantastic as a finger-licking snack or as a meal accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 1kg Chicken Wings
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (chopped)
• 3 tbsp Tomato Puree
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• 3 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 7 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Green Onions (finely chopped)

Marinade

Method

1. Into a mortar add chopped pepper, garlic and extra virgin olive oil and grind to a smooth pasty consistency.
2. Transfer paste into a mixing bowl and add in stock cube, soy sauce, paprika, tomato puree, lemon juice and mix thoroughly. 
3. Pour over chicken wings and use your fingers to rub through.
4. Refrigerate and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
5. Set oven to grill at 180 degrees C.
6. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, and then turn over each chicken wing.
7. Return to grill for another 20 minutes.
8. Remove from grill and serve while hot.

To counter the spiciness, eat with a cooling Avocado Sauce or a refreshing leafy salad.

I sometimes like to go a step further to coat the chicken wings in a stew. 

Stew:

1. Blend 600g of  plum tomatoes, 1 onions and 2 chillies until smooth.
2. Heat 100ml of palm oil in saucepan on low heat. (You can substitute with sunflower oil)
3. Pour in blended mixture and season with salt. Stir and cover with lid.
4. Allow to cook on medium heat for 30 minutes so that it thickens.
5. Add grilled chicken wings and stir.
6. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes and remove from heat.

Serve with rice or couscous.

Moi-Moi (Bean Cake)

Moi-Moi

I am so excited to be sharing another Taste of Nostalgia post. So today I bring you Moi-Moi (Bean Cake). This is mainly eaten as a breakfast meal in basically all Nigerian homes, but can also be enjoyed as a snack on the go at any time of the day.
It is protein-packed so it won't weigh you down whatever time of the day you decide to indulge in it. Growing up, hardly any Saturday morning was complete without the presence of Moi-Moi on the breakfast table.

Probably the best thing about this recipe is it's versatility. There's really not one list of ingredients you can put together to make it - For this post, I simply worked with what I had in the fridge.
I must apologise though because this post is more pictorial than my posts usually are, because I really wanted the entire process to translate across well enough. Enjoy!

Soaked Nigerian Kidney Beans

Peeled Beans

Palm Oil, Crayfish, Onions, Sweet Pepper, Scotch Bonnet, Eggs & Vegetable Stock Cube

Blended Mixture

Oven Ready

Oven Tray covered and sealed

Ingredients:

• 200g Nigerian Red Kidney Beans
• 4 tbsp Palm Oil
• 1/2 tbsp Salt
• 1 Vegetable Stock Cube
• 2 Hard Boiled Eggs (sliced)
• 2 tbsp Ground Crayfish 
• 100g Prawns (Fresh or Frozen). Alternative - Diced beef, Kidney or Liver
• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (Use half for less heat)
• 1 Red Sweet Pepper
• 1 Medium sized Onion (quartered)
• 400ml Water

(Although there are different variations of moi-moi recipe, one ingredient I believe should be a constant is the ground dried crayfish. It is an acquired taste but it does something for the aroma and the flavour which adds to the authenticity of the dish.)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven at 200 degrees C.
2. Soak beans in warm water for at least 2-3 hours (personally I prefer to soak them overnight since this is usually a breakfast meal) to loosen the beans coat. 
3. Peel the coats off the beans by firmly rubbing them between the palms of your hands.
4. Separate the coats from the beans by sieving through with water.
5. To blender, add beans, scotch bonnet pepper, red sweet pepper, onions, crayfish, stock cube, salt and water. Blend until mixture is finely smooth. 
6. To 6 small stainless steel pudding bowls add 1 tsp vegetable oil, and coat insides.
7. Half fill the bowls with the mixture and add in prawns and egg slices into each.
8. Pour in more of the mixture to fill bowls to 3/4 level.
9. Fill an oven tray with water and arrange bowls into the oven tray.
10. Cover and seal tightly with aluminium foil and place in oven for 50 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and remove bowls from oven tray and allow to stand for about 10 minutes.
12. Use a knife to loosen the moi-moi from edges of the bowls and turn over onto plates.

This is usually served with a local breakfast porridge called Ogi/Akamu, but I have tried it with custard and oats.

Serves 6

Chicken Gizzard Kebabs

Chicken Gizzard Kebabs

Ok. I know the title says it all, but seriously, don't knock it till you've tried it. It's just like chicken feet which is very popular across a surprisingly broad demograph of cultures. You would never think that something that drab could be made to create an incredible fusion on the palate. Well the same principle applies to chicken gizzards - they can be amazing.

Well I thought since it has been a while since I last posted up a Taste of Nostalgia food, I thought I would inject some shock factor by way of return.

Yaji - Suya Spice

In one of my earlier posts, I stated how I associate most of my foods with events in my life. This is just so relatable along those lines.
As a child, weekends were never complete without a family trip to the roadside Suya spots to buy up the tasty local BBQ meat - Suya.
Suya is a traditional snack of roasted meat made famous from northern Nigeria. It is normally made more from beef, but they are also made from other alternatives such as chicken, mutton and of course chicken gizzards - my favourite!!! Whatever the choice of meat might be, what makes suya what it really is, are the spices called Yaji that is used to coat the meat prior to cooking.
The recipe for yaji is not set in stone so no two batches would ever taste the same from two different sources, because most of the recipes generally have some old family secret ingredients lurking within that are understandably never shared. The one main ingredient that, in my opinion, MUST be in the yaji is the kuli-kuli (peanut cake) that makes the yaji's taste almost addictive. I get my supply of yaji made from scratch and by order from traditional sources, but you can however purchase them from any African stores or even online from Amazon.
This recipe includes my twist on the traditional way of making suya, which makes it unique.

Oven Ready

Ingredients

• 400g Fresh Chicken Gizzards
• 15g Fresh Ginger
• 15g Yaji (Suya Spice)
• 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 2 tbsps Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Small Shallot (chopped)
• Handful of Coriander
• Pinch of Paprika

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to roast at 150 degrees C
2. Into a mortar (or food processor), combine all the ingredients, with the exception of the chicken gizzards, and grind to form a paste
3. Pierce skewers through the gizzards, which should allow for 4 gizzards on each - depending on their sizes
4. Coat gizzards all over with the paste. Don't worry if it does not coat all over completely, as the taste of the seasoning will work right through during cooking
5. Place in the oven for 40 minutes, turning over at the 20 minutes mark

Tips: 

• Do not handle seasoning paste with bare hands. The heat of the yaji can be lethal!
• For a cooling effect, serve with a refreshing salad. 

Serves 4

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