Nigerian cuisine

Last updated
Suya SuyavarietiesTX.JPG
Suya
Asaro Asaro (Yam Porridge).jpg
Asaro
Nkwobi Nkwobi.jpg
Nkwobi
Egusi soup with ponmo, beef and fish Egusi soup with ponmo and beef.jpg
Egusi soup with ponmo, beef and fish

Nigerian cuisine consists of dishes or food items from the hundreds of Native African ethnic groups that comprise Nigeria. [1] [2] Like other West African cuisines, it uses spices and herbs with palm oil or groundnut oil to create deeply flavored sauces and soups. [3]

Contents

Nigerian feasts can be colourful and lavish, while aromatic market and roadside snacks cooked on barbecues or fried in oil are in abundance and varied.

Tropical fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, coconut, banana, orange, papaya and mango are mostly consumed in Nigeria. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Nigerian cuisine, like many West African cuisines, is known for being savoury and spicy.

History

Nigerian Cuisine has emerged from available recourses in agriculture. Crops like yam, african rice, black eyed peas, millet, sorghum, okro, egusi, palm oil amongst others are native to the Nigerian region and are staples in cooking. Introduced crops from trade like cassava and corn amongst others are also popular in Nigerian cuisine. A variety of native grown vegetables are staples. [8] [9] Indigenous fruit trees including African star apple (Chrysophyllum albidum), African mango (Irvingia gabonensis), African or native pear (Dacryodes edulis, hog plum (Spondias mombin)and garden egg are important as well. [10] Yam is mainly produced in West Africa including the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon, which represents 97% of African yam production. [11]

Entrees

Rice-based

Jollof rice, meat and dodo Jollof rice and Dodo.jpg
Jollof rice, meat and dodo
Masa is a northern Nigerian specialty which is also known as waina among the northerners in Nigeria. Cooked masa.jpg
Masa is a northern Nigerian specialty which is also known as waina among the northerners in Nigeria.

Bean-based

Corn-based

Meat

Woman selling ponmo (cow skin) Woman selling ponmo.jpg
Woman selling ponmo (cow skin)

Meat is used in most Nigerian dishes.

Soups and stews

Maafe Mafe SN.JPG
Maafe
Egburegbu soup usually prepared by Ebonyi State Indigenous people Egburegbu.jpg
Egburegbu soup usually prepared by Ebonyi State Indigenous people

Side dishes

Dodo (fried plantain) Fryingplantains10-28-06.jpg
Dodo (fried plantain)

Puddings, pastes and porridges

Yam-based

A plate of pounded yam (Utara ji) and egusi with tomato stew A Plate of Pounded Yam (Iyan) served in Birmingham UK.JPG
A plate of pounded yam (Utara ji) and egusi with tomato stew

Cassava-based

Breakfast

Agidi or Eko Agidi.jpg
Agidi or Eko

Snacks

Beverages

Zobo Mbo.jpg
Zobo

See also

References

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