Naijawack

Author: Naijawack

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    Subheading Level 2

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  • Owho Beans Soup

    Owho Beans Soup

    7,000 Naira

    This is an authentic Urhobo beans soup popularly known as Ohwo Beans. It is very similar to the popular Delta Ohwo soup but made with other ingredients that takes this soup to another level. Ohwo Beans is a ceremonial food that is mostly prepared on very special occasions such as marriage ceremonies and during the festive periods. It is a bean dish and is typically made with a special beans (native beans which is usually small and red in color) and it takes many hours to cook before it becomes tender. In the recipe I’ll be using Brown Honey Beans that cooks quicker but also tastes delicious. If you are looking for a new soup to add to your rotation, try Owho Beans Soup and you’ll be glad you did. 

    Owho Beans

    Ready in 120 minutes

    Serves 8 people

    650 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups red Honey beans (1200 naira)
    • Palm oil (300 naira)
    • Dried fish (1000 naira)
    • Dried meat- Tikko (1500 naira)
    • Cow leg or kpomo (2000 naira)
    • Dried Prawns (500 naira)
    • Ground crayfish (100 naira)
    • 2 seasoning cubes (100 naira)
    • 4-5 grains of salem/negro pepper/urienrien/uda (100 naira)
    • Dried pepper to taste 
    • Salt to taste
    • Usi/starch (200 naira)
    • Native salt/Potash (200 naira)

    Preparation

    • Select the beans to remove dirt and stones before rinsing throughly. It’s advised to soak the beans for about 5 hours or overnight to make it cook quicker and elevate any discomfort usually associated with eating beans. After rinsing, place the beans in a large pot of water and cook over medium heat until tender.
    • While the beans is cooking, in another pot cook cow legs, season with only salt and 2 seasoning cubes. Cook the cow legs until tender. If you are using cow skin, Wash thoroughly to remove dirt and sand, then chop into sizeable chunks. 
    • Debone the dried fish and soak in hot water to soften before scrubbing until with brush or iron sponge to remove sand and grime. Also Soak the dried meat (tikko) in hot water and scrub the meat the same way the dried fish was cleaned.
    • Lightly beat on the grains of salem (urienrien) and remove the seeds. Toss the seeds because they are very bitter. I like to use the Salem whole after removing the seeds but you can grind it into powder before using.
    • When the beans is soft, add 4-5 cups of water, dried meat, palm oil, ground crayfish, cooked cow legs, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add dried prawns, grains of salem, seasoning cubes, and cover to cook for about 5 minutes.
    • After 5 minutes, add native salt, dry pepper to taste and dried fish and allow to cook for a few minutes before adding the starch that has been diluted with water. The native salt is salty and acts as an emulsifier and the starch acts as thickener. Pour in the starch and whisk it simultaneously, the more starch you add the thicker the soup. Add starch until you achieve your desired consistency. Stir it to combine and cook the soup uncovered for about 5 minutes. Add salt as needed.
    • Once done, you can enjoy your delicious Owho Beans  soup with starch (usi), eba, boiled yam and or green plantains. 

    Tips

    Owho Beans Soup is an authentic Urhobo delicacy eaten with starch or eba. It is packed with flavor and sure to surprise you and your Family with its bright and spicy flavor profile. If you know Owho Soup, you would know that Owho Beans is the next best thing. Make Owho Beans Soup using this Recipe and you’ll be glad you did.

  • Nigerian Chicken Stew

    Nigerian Chicken Stew

    13,000 Naira

    Nigerian chicken stew is a Sunday Delight! Served with steaming white rice and  maybe some fried plantains is a sure ticket to food Heaven. Chicken stew is thick, hearty and made with Fresh Tomatoes, Tomato paste, Red bell peppers, Onions, and Garlic. It can be made with whole live chicken or frozen chicken thighs usually sold in kilos at the market. There are other variations like Nigerian Fish Stew and Nigerian Beef Stew but Here’s a simple and quick to make Nigerian Chicken Stew Recipe.

    Ready in 90 minutes

    Serves 7 people

    1280 calories 

    Ingredients

    • Whole Live Chicken- Old Layer (7500 naira)
    • Fresh Peppers and Tomatoes (1500 naira)
    • 2 big Onions (400 naira)
    • 750ml of Power Vegetable oil- For Frying Chicken and Stew (2500 naira)
    • 1 Packet of Benny Chicken Seasoning (200 naira)
    • Ground Crayfish (100 naira)
    • Garlic Cloves and Ginger ( 300 naira)
    • Thyme and Curry Powder (200 naira)
    • 2 Bay Leaves (100 naira)
    • Dry Shallots (100 naira) 
    • 4 Chicken seasoning cubes (200 naira)
    • Salt to taste

    Preparation

    • Start by washing your Chicken. I like to go in with lime slices to properly clean my chicken.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 1
    • After washing, season with 2 Chicken seasoning cubes, a spoonful of Curry and Thyme, Bay leaves, minced garlic and ginger, chopped onions, dried shallots, Benny seasoning, and salt to taste.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 2
    • Place the Chicken to cook on low heat so it can stew in its own juices without adding water and allow it to steam for 15 minutes.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 3
    • After 15 minutes, add enough water to cover the chicken then boil till tender on medium heat. When the chicken is ready, deep fry in some hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
    Nigerian Chicken stew 4
    • I can not eat chicken in stew unless it is fried, but if you prefer them just boiled, then skip this step.
    • Before we prepare the stew, if you like boiled eggs in your stew, do well to cook and peel them before making the stew so you can add them with the tomato sauce, this ensures that the tomato juice soaks into the egg adequately. If you are Nigerian, you already know what I’m talking about.
    • Let’s prepare the stew. Start off by blending the tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and ginger. Then cook the blended mixture in a pot until all the water has evaporated and it forms a thick paste. 
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 5
    • If you are like me and you fried your Chicken, strain the Oil you used to remove any chicken bits and place it into a large saucepan and place on medium heat, you need about a cup full. When the Oil is hot, throw in chopped Onions and ground crayfish, sauté till fragrant.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 6
    • Next, add in the blended Pepper mix, 2 seasoning cubes, 1 Teaspoon Curry powder, Thyme and Salt to taste,  fry until the pepper mix loses its sournes and the oil starts to flow to the top.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 6
    • Now, add the Chicken Stock and the fried Chicken, stir and combine.
    Nigerian Chicken Stew 7
    • Turn the heat down to low, allow to simmer for 10 minutes and your Nigerian Chicken Stew is ready.

    Tips

    Nigerian Chicken Stew is the ultimate Nigerian dish that pairs with a long list of other meals. It’s a constant in the Nigerian household and its no surprise why! There are many variation of the Nigerian stew like the Fish Stew and Beef Stew versions. Be sure to try our recipe when next you make Nigerian Chicken Stew

  • Nigerian Pancake Recipe

    Nigerian Pancake Recipe

    Nigerian Meals Under 5k

    There is a slight difference between the regular Western pancake and Nigerian pancake recipe. Nigerians have adapted pancakes to suit the local tastebuds by adding ingredients like onion, pepper for a little zing of spice. Nigerian pancakes is a popular breakfast dish but can also be eaten as a snack at any time of the day. The addition of pepper and onions gives the pancakes a balanced sweet and savoury taste at the same time. This is how to make the Nigerian-style pancakes with onions and pepper.

    Ready in 20 minutes

    Serves 5 people

    170 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups Flour
    • ¼ cup Sugar
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 2 medium sized Eggs
    • 1 cup Milk
    • 2 cups Water
    • 1 small Onion (chopped)
    • 1 small fresh Scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)
    • ½ cup cooking oil

    Preparation

    • Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, that is the flour, sugar, and salt.  Mix thoroughly to combine before cracking the eggs into the flour and mixing again.
    • Combine the milk and the water together before pouring it into the flour and egg mixture. Give it a good mix to ensure there is no clumps and you get a smooth runny batter.
    • The next step is to add the chopped onion and pepper. Some persons might prefer to fry the onion and pepper before adding it to batter.
    • If you don’t like raw onions and fresh pepper. Simply put some oil in a pan and lightly toast the pepper and onions, allow to cool before adding it to the pancake batter. Then mix thoroughly.
    • To make the pancakes, you can use oil or butter. Simply drizzle some oil a frying pan and leave to heat up. Scoop a spoon full of the batter into the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter.
    • Cook on medium to low heat for about 2 minutes until you notice bubbles forming on top of the pancake, flip to the other side to cook for 1-2 minutes and your pancake it ready. Repeat the process till the whole batter is used up.

    Tips

    Do not over mix the batter so that your pancakes do not become too chewy and tough to eat

    If you decide to fry the onions and pepper before adding it to the batter, ensure it cools completely before introducing it to the pancake batter. 

  • Nigerian Puff Puff Recipe

    Nigerian Puff Puff Recipe

    Puff Puff is a popular West African snack that needs no introduction. This oily and sweet ball of goodness is made with only a few ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, water, salt, and oil for deep frying.  Nigerian puff puff is simple, and uses a few low-cost ingredients but don’t underestimate how delicious it is because of its simplicity. 

    There is so much nostalgia associated with the sight and smell of puff puff, and hopefully with this Nigerian puff puff recipe, your memories will re-surface and make you smile as well.

    Ready in 20 minutes

    Serves 8 people

    280 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups flour
    • 1¼ cups water
    • 2 teaspoons yeast
    • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup sugar + 1 teaspoon sugar for proofing the yeast
    • Vegetable oil for deep frying

    Preparation

    • In a bowl, add half of a cup of warm water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast, stir to combine and cover with a lid and set aside until the yeast becomes bubbly. This should take about 4-6 minutes. 
    • Combine the dry ingredients that is the Flour, Sugar, Salt, and Nutmeg in another bowl.
    • Once the yeast is activated pour into the dry ingredients alongside the remainng one cup of  water and mix until the batter is lump-free.
    • Cover the dough and place in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough is double in size.
    • Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep pan that is wide enough to accomodate the puff puff balls and heat the oil till its about 360°F. Use your hand or a little spoon to scoop a little bit of dough and drop into the oil.
    • Fry the dough until both sides are golden brown. Remove the puff puff  from the oil and place on a drying rack so that the excess oil can drain out before serving. 

    Tips

    You can add Nutmeg for a subtle flavor it gives the puff puff. Although it is very optional. 

    You can use an electric mixer when mixing the dough but be careful not to over mix.

    You can also use an Ice cream scoop to drop the batter inside the Oil.

  • Low Budget Nigerian Meals

    Low Budget Nigerian Meals

    Nigerian meals Under 5k

    If you are a student or trying to operate on a low budget, this Nigerian meals under 5k are sure to save the day.

    These are low-budget Nigerian meals that anyone could make without having to spend too much. 

    Please note that, in this current 2024 Nigerian economy, buying foodstuffs in bulk is cheaper and helps to reduce the over cost of making any meals. 

    So whether you are a student or salary earner, it is advised to always buy foodstuffs like rice, vegetable oil, seasoning cubes, beans, onions, palm oil and salt in bulk. These items generally have a long shelf and can be stored for some time without going bad. 

    Without much talk, here are some Nigerian meals you can prepare with 5k or less in 2024.

    Fish stew- 5,000 naira 

    Fish Stew

    This stew serves two for a couple of days and can be made with five thousand naira or less depending on your location. You can adjust the cost by adding or removing some ingredients and protein sources listed.

    Rice and Beans with Fish Sauce- 5,000 naira

    Rice and Beans

    Rice and beans is a sunday classic dish in every Nigerian household. As the name implies, it’s rice cooked together with beans. It’s an exciting twist to the rather usual white rice, and goes with just about any meal.

    Nigerian Indomie Noodles

    Indomie Noodles

    The recipes on how to make Nigerian indomie noodles is as numerous as the amount of local government areas in the country. In fact, almost every Nigerian as their special way of preparing noodles, you can prepare Nigerian indomie noodles with egg or with chicken.

    Beans and Yam Porridge- 5,000 naira

    Beans and Yam

    Beans and Yam, a delicious carb bomb sure to give you all the energy you need throughout the day. There are about a hundred ways to prepare Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge into a scrumptious dish.

    Yam and Egg- 3,000 naira

    Yam and Egg

    Yam and Egg sauce is one of the breakfast staples in Nigeria. It is easy to whip up and relatively cheap to make. For the yam it could be boiled or fried while the egg sauce is made with eggs, tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers and onions.

    Concoction Rice- 5,000 naira

    Concoction Rice

    This Low budget concoction rice recipe is a slightly cheaper version of the Nigerian native jollof rice. It is a popular traditional rice dish with a unique taste and aroma and it’s very easy to make compared to some other nigerian rice dishes. Depending on your budget, you might use alternatives to the key ingredients like smoked dry fish, cow skin and dried prawns.

    Jollof Spaghetti- 4,000 naira

    Jollof Spaghetti

    Spaghetti Jollof as the name implies is a delicious fusion of the popular Nigerian Jollof Rice and pasta. The Spaghetti is made with the rich, spicy flavors of Jollof sauce resulting in a flavorful and filling meal!

    Suya Rice- 3,500 naira

    Suya Rice

    Suya rice is a combo of your favorite Street delicacy Suya and delicious Jollof Rice in one meal. This is a super easy meal to prepare and takes less than 45 minutes from start to finish. Perfect for a weekday dinner when you just need something to serve your family without having to spend too much money or too much time in the kitchen.

    Fried Beans- 5,000 naira

    Fried Beans

    Fried Beans is a national delicacy, it can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nigerian fried beans is hearty, tasty, and quite filling. It is usually paired with white rice, Garri (cassava flakes), fresh bread, or fried ripe plantains.

  • Jollof Spaghetti

    Jollof Spaghetti

    Nigerian Meals Under 5k

    4,000 naira

    Spaghetti Jollof as the name implies is a delicious fusion of the popular Nigerian Jollof Rice and pasta. The Spaghetti is made with the rich, spicy flavors of Jollof sauce resulting in a flavorful and filling meal!

    Jollof spaghetti is made by simmering the pasta in a flavourful, spicy tomato-based sauce usually made with a blend of onion, tomato, pepper, and spices such as curry powder, thyme, ginger and garlic similar to jollof rice. 

    Jollof spaghetti is not only a versatile dish but affordable as well. It’s a Nigerian meal that can be made with under 5k served alone or it can be served as a side dish with grilled or fried chicken, beef, or fish.

    Jollof Spaghetti 1

    Ready in 35 minutes

    Serves 4 people

    650 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 1 green or red bell peppers (500 naira)
    • Fresh scotch bonnet peppers and tomatoes (700 naira)
    • 2 large onions (300 naira)
    • Sachet of PowerOil vegetable oil (500 naira)
    • 2 cloves garlic minced (100 naira)
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated (100 naira)
    • Sachet of tomato paste (200 naira)
    • Sachet of thyme and curry powder (200 naira)
    • 2 chicken seasoning cubes
    • salt to taste
    • 1 pack of Goldenpenny spaghetti pasta (1200 naira)
    • Green peas, green onions, and carrots (optional)
    • cooked protein of choice (optional)

    Preparation

    • Start by blending the fresh tomatoes and scotch bonnet peppers alongside to a smooth paste. In a frying pan add the vegetable oil and allow to heat up before throwing in the chopped onion to fry until translucent. 
    Jollof Spaghetti 2
    • Add the minced garlic and grated ginger along with a pinch of curry and thyme, fry until fragrant.
    Jollof Spaghetti 3
    • Then add the blended tomatoes and pepper mix to fry for about a minute or two until all the water is evaporated and the sauce is thick
    Jollof Spaghetti 4
    • stir in the tomato paste, salt and two seasoning cubes.
    • Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes allowing the flavors to merge together.
    Jollof Spaghetti 5
    • If you are adding the veggie mix, allow the sauce to cook 90% of the way before adding them. This way, the veggies do not overcook and become soggy. 
    • If you want your Jollof Spagetti to stay on the 5k budget, you can use boiled eggs as your choice of protein but I’ll be using chicken and boiled eggs which I like to add as the sauce thickens.
    Jollof Spaghetti 6
    • If your budget is above 5k, you can use chicken, turkey or beef which you’ll need to season and cook till tender before frying the sauce.
    • Add the chicken or beef broth into the sauce and, stir constantly to create a smooth sauce.
    Jollof Spaghetti 7
    • Allow the mixture to a cook on high heat until oil starts to float at the top.
    • Taste the sauce and season with salt as needed.
    • Your Jollof spaghetti is almost ready. Simply boil the spaghetti pasta according to instructions on the packaging. Drain and add to the jollof sauce. 
    Jollof Spaghetti 8
    • Mix thoroughly to combine everything and place the spaghetti on medium to low heat to cook for about 5 more minutes before serving.
    Jollof Spaghetti 9

    Tips

    Jollof Spaghetti is a delicious pasta dish that is very easy to make as well as very affordable. It’s a Nigerian meal under 5k but you can spend me depending on your choice of protein.

    Here are other Nigerian meals under 5k: 

    Concoction Rice

    Yam and egg sauce 

    Nigerian suya rice

    Fish stew

    Nigerian Noodle recipe

    Rice and Beans

  • Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 

    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 

    Nigerian Meals Under 5k

    5,000 naira

    Beans and Yam, a delicious carb bomb sure to give you all the energy you need throughout the day. There are about a hundred ways to prepare Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge into a scrumptious dish. This recipe combines fried stewed beans with yam to make a feast for the whole family, it is packed with enough healthy protein for everyone’s growth and development.

    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge  1

    Ready in 20 minutes

    Serves 8 people

    280 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium-sized white yam, chopped (1200 naira)
    • 3 cups white beans (1200 naira
    • Grounded crayfish powder (100 naira)
    • 2 seasoning cubes (100 naira)
    • Smoked Mackerel fish (1500 naira)
    • Fresh pepper and tomatoes (500 naira)
    • Cow skin, chopped (500 naira)
    • 1 onion, sliced (100 naira)
    • Palm oil (300 naira)
    • Salt to taste 

    Preparation

    • First, select the beans and pick out the stones and dirt usually mixed with beans. After the careful selection, wash the beans and put them in a pot with water and cook on medium to high heat.
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 2
    • Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, then pour out the beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly.
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 3
    • This parboiling process helps to remove chemical preservatives and also to prevent any stomach discomfort usually associated with eating beans. 
    • After washing the beans, return it back on the stove and cook on high heat. Alternatively you can use a pressure pot if you have one.
    • While the beans is cooking, start prepping the other ingredients. Start by blending the fresh tomatoes, pepper, and onion and Set it aside.
    • Wash the cow skin and chop into small chunks, and debone the smoked fish. Peel and slice the yam into reasonable chunks then rinse.
    • When the beans is soft, add the yam and set aside. 
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 4
    • Time to fry the stew sauce. Add the palm oil into a frying pan and allow it to heat up for a minute before throwing your sliced onion into it, add the ground crayfish powder and allow it to fry for a few seconds before adding the blended tomatoes and pepper mix.
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 5
    • Fry the stew until oil starts to float on top then add the cow skin, smoked fish, seasoning cubes and a little salt. 
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 6
    • Transfer the stew into the beans and yam and stir thoroughly
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 7
    • Add salt to taste and set the porridge on low heat and allow it to steam till the yam is cooked. Do not add water to the mix except if it’s needed. 
    • When the yam is soft, give the porridge another good mix and put off the heat.
    Nigerian Beans and Yam Porridge 8
    • Keep the pot covered for another 5 minutes before serving. 

    Tips

    Beans and Yam porridge is a great source of carbohydrate and protein. It is a delicious dish sure to keep you filled for hours and can be made with less than 5k. What more can you want? Here is more Nigerian meals that can be made with less than 5k. 

    Concoction Rice

    Yam and egg sauce 

    Nigerian suya rice

    Fish stew

    Nigerian Noodle recipe

    Rice and Beans

  • Nigerian Fried Beans

    Nigerian Fried Beans

    Nigerian Meals Under 5k

    5,000 naira

    Fried Beans is a national delicacy, it can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nigerian fried beans is hearty, tasty, and quite filling. It is usually paired with white rice, Garri (cassava flakes), fresh bread, or fried ripe plantains. This fried beans recipe uses a stew base so can also pass as stewed beans. Here’s how to prepare this delicious and incredibly economical Nigerian fried beans.

    Nigerian Fried Beans 1

    Ready in 90 minutes

    Serves 6 people

    580 calories 

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups of white beans (1200 naira)
    • Fresh Tomatoes and pepper (700 naira)
    • 2 medium onions (200 naira)
    • Smoked mackerel (1500 naira)
    • Grounded crayfish (100 naira)
    • 2 seasoning cubes (100 naira)
    • Palm oil (300 naira)
    • Dried prawns (500 naira)
    • Cow skin (500 naira)
    • salt to taste 

    Preparation

    • For some people eating beans usually cause heartburn, bloating and even stomach upset. To prevent that, soak the beans in cool water overnight. This helps to release the gas trapped inside the beans and reduce the discomfort associated with eating beans. If you are pressed for time and cannot soak the beans overnight, you can parboil the beans first before cooking.
    • So firstly, wash your beans after selecting and removing any dirt in the mix, then place the beans in a cooking pot with enough water.
    Nigerian Fried Beans 2
    • Allow it to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, then drain and rinse the beans before placing it back in the pot to cook till it softens.
    Nigerian Fried Beans 3
    • If you soaked the beans overnight, you can skip the parboiling process and just go ahead to give the beans a good rinse and boil till it softens.
    • Blend the tomatoes and pepper with 1 onion, cut the second onion into thin slices and debone the smoked mackerel. Also remove the heads from the dried prawns and cut the cow skin into small chunks.
    • In a frying pan, add the palm oil and allow it to bleach slightly then throw in the sliced onions.
    Nigerian Fried Beans 4
    • Allow the onions to saute a bit before introducing the dried prawns and ground crayfish, this should fry for about 3 minutes before you add the blended tomatoes and pepper mix. 
    Nigerian Fried Beans 5
    • Fry the tomatoes till the oil floats to the top, add the smoked mackerel, chopped cow skin and 2 seasoning cubes. 
    • Check the beans to see its level of softness, it should be 90% cooked through before you add the stew base. If the beans is soft enough, mix in the stew with some salt to taste, and reduce the heat to low so it can steam cook the remaining 10% and it’s done.
    Nigerian Fried Beans 6
    • Serve with the Fried Plantains, white rice, Soaked Garri or bread. 

    Tips

    Nigerian fried beans is one of the few meals you can whip up with less than 5k that is delicious, filling and can serve as a full meal for 5 to 6 people adequately. Here are some other Nigerian meals under 5k. 

    Concoction Rice

    Yam and egg sauce 

    Nigerian suya rice

    Fish stew

    Nigerian Noodle recipe

    Rice and Beans