Recipe for African Salad

2023-01-23T08:00:31+00:00

By Virtue Digest

Today we are cooking a delicacy of Eastern Nigeria – a welcome dish called Abacha (African Salad). Abacha is basically dried shredded cassava mixed with palm oil and other condiments.Beyond being blessed with a landscape so beautiful, and people so accommodating, Africa indeed has wondrous recipes.This one in particular is most associated with the people of Enugu. The beautiful city of Enugu, in the southeast region of Nigeria, is also known as Coal City as it was once a prime location for the export of coal within Africa and foreign lands.The name Enugu is an anglicized version of the Igbo word “Enu-Ugwu” which means “top of the hills” and trust me when I say that the view from the hills is worth seeing.If you are as eager to cook this dish as I am, get your utensils out and let’s cook.Ingredients:2 cups Abacha (dried Shredded cassava)1 Dried Fish (You may choose to add whatever protein you want; some people prefer shredded beef or ponmo ‘cow skin’)1/4 cup Palm Oil1/2 tsp Akaun (Cooking Potash)3 tbsp Crayfish1/2 bulb small onion (chopped)1/4 cup chopped scented leaves1 cube maggi and salt to taste Preparation method:Soak the abacha in hot water for 25 – 30 minutes after which you drain thoroughly.In a pot over medium heat, bleach the palm oil for about 5 minutes after which you can set aside to coolWith one tablespoon of hot water, dissolve the Akaun after which you pour into the bowl and mix the solution, bleached palm oil, softened abacha, chopped onions, crayfish, dried fish and maggi together.

Add salt to taste.Add the scented leaves just before serving.Don’t forget to share.*Ugba can be added as an optional condiment to complement African Salad or eaten as a side dish. Recipe by Afrotourism