Nigerian Plantain Recipes

        How to cook Unripe Plantain Porridge

 

This fast and easy recipe is cooked with unripe plantain which is known to be rich in iron nutrients.

Ingredients

• Unripe Plantain – 4 pieces
• Pumpkin Leaves – approx. 20 leaves (or Frozen Spinach Leaves – 6 cubes)
• Fish – 1 medium size
• Ground Crayfish – 5 teaspoons
• Onions – 2 medium sized bulbs
• Red palm Oil – 2 cooking spoonfuls
• Pepper and Salt - to taste
• Seasoning – 1 Maggi/Knorr cubes

Before you cook Unripe Plantain Porridge

Wash, peel and cut up the plantain as shown. Wash and cut the pumpkin leaves into small pieces. If you will be using frozen spinach, allow to thaw just enough to let you cut them into tiny pieces. Leave to thaw completely and squeeze out the extra water using a sieve.
Wash, cut and remove the fish intestines. Cut up the onions into tiny pieces. Grind the crayfish and pepper. Now you are ready to cook the unripe plantain porridge.

Cooking Directions

1. Put the cut plantain in a pot. Add the chopped onions, seasoning, fish, ground crayfish and pepper.
2. Add water till the quantity is just above the level of the pot contents.
3. Cook till the contents starts to boil. Add the red palm oil and salt to taste. Cover the pot and keep cooking till done. This is when the plantain is tender to touch.
4. Add the vegetables, cover the pot and turn off the heat.
5. Leave to stand for five minutes and stir the contents.

Serve with chilled fruit juice, or coconut juice.

              Nigerian Fried Plantain

 

Fried Plantain is one of the easy and fast Nigerian food recipes. It can be eaten with fried egg, omelette, Moi Moi, Custard meal, oat meal, akamu (ogi) etc.
It is also a major side dish to all the rice recipes and can be enjoyed by people from all over the world.

Ingredients

• Ripe Plantain (The plantain should be ripe and hard, it is not advisable to use plantain that is soft)
• Vegetable Oil – enough for deep frying.
• Salt to taste

Before you fry the plantain

Wash, peel and slice the plantain as shown. Place in a bowl and add a little salt. Toss the plantain to ensure that the salt is evenly distributed.
Pour a generous quantity of vegetable oil into a frying pan and allow to heat. If using a deep fryer, preheat the oil to 170°C.

Frying Directions

1. When the oil is heated, add a considerable quantity of the plantain slices to the oil, leaving enough room for the slices to fry evenly.
2. When the underside of the slices starts to turn golden, flip the slices on their other side.
3. Fry till a desired browning is achieved.
4. Remove and place in a sieve to drain out the oil.
5. Fry the next batch of the plantain slices following steps 1 through 4.
Serve with fried egg, omelette, moi moi, Custard, oat meal, akamu (corn starch meal).

       How to cook Plantain Moi Moi

 

One of the most displeasing things is to find that your staple food is going bad in the pantry. These hard times are definitely not when we want to be wasteful. But one staple food you will not be so disappointed to find that it is going bad is plantain. If you have been throwing away your over-ripe plantains, mmh. Today, you can go and sin no more because you are about to discover how that supposedly bad food can be used to prepare one of the most mouth watering recipes.

Ingredients

• 4 pcs of over-ripe plantain (Even if the skin is now black, so long as the inside is not decomposed)
• Unripe plantain flour (1 Cigar cup) | 200g
• Palm Oil (in the absence of this, vegetable oil)
• Crayfish – A handful
• Onions (1 medium bulb)
• Pepper and Salt to taste
• Seasoning – 2 Maggi / Knorr cubes

Before you cook Plantain Moi Moi

Put the unripe plantain flour in a bowl, add a small quantity of warm water and mix till a smooth paste is achieved.
Wash, peel and cut the over-ripe plantain into small pieces. Blend to a smooth paste and mix with the unripe plantain flour.
Blend the crayfish, onions and pepper.

Cooking Directions

1. Mix all the blended ingredients in a big bowl.
2. Add 3 cooking spoons of palm oil.
   
3. Add the seasoning and salt to taste.
4. Add more warm water to get a medium consistency if necessary.
5. Scoop the mix into small bowls, aluminium foil bags or uma leaves, just as you would with the beans Moi Moi.
6. Set in a pot with minimal quantity of boiling water and cook till done. Add water along the way if necessary.

Serve with Custard meal, oat meal or akamu (corn starch meal). It can also be eaten alone as a quick snack.

            How to cook Boiled Plantain

 

This is the easiest plantain recipe to prepare. If you are just home from work and you have either ripe or unripe plantain in your pantry and some palm oil, then in about 15 mins (depending on your stove's heating capacity), you have a quick meal on your table. This dish is usually eaten with pepper sauce. But if you do not have pepper, or will not be bothered with getting that prepared, the good old palm oil and salt will do.

Ingredients

• Ripe / Unripe Plantain – as many pieces as you can eat!
• Palm Oil
• Onions
• Hot Chilli Pepper
• Salt (Optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Wash the plantain and cut each fruit into two or three pieces depending on how big the fruits are.
2. Put in a pot, add some water and set to cook.
3. Meanwhile chop the onions and chilli pepper.
4. Heat some oil (just enough heat to melt it). Pour in a plate and add the chopped onions and chilli pepper. Add salt to taste.
5. Cook the plantain till done, add some salt to your taste and allow to simmer for a few more minutes. If using ripe plantains, be sure to watch the cooking closely because it will get done quicker than unripe plantains.
6. The boiled plantain is ready to be served. Remember to remove the peels before eating!
   

   How to prepare Roasted Plantain

    

   
   This is a summer weekend delight. You can roast or barbecue both ripe and unripe plantain. If you have a sweet tooth, you definitely want to go for the roasted ripe plantain. Add some fish (preferably mackerel) in the barbecue and you will be wondering what you have been doing by not trying this Nigerian yummy recipe before now.
   
   

   Ingredients for Roasted Plantain and Pepper Sauce

7. Ripe / Unripe Plantain – as much as you can eat!
8. Fish – Preferably Mackerel
9. Palm Oil
10. Onions
11. Hot Chilli Pepper
12. Salt (to taste)

Before you prepare Roasted Plantain

1. Prepare the pepper sauce to go with the roasted plantain and set aside.
2. Wash and peel the unripe / ripe plantains to be roasted.
3. Wash the fish, remove the stomach and spread salt on them.
4. Set up your barbecue on medium heat as the plantain needs to be roasted slowly.

Roasting Directions

1. When the barbecue is heated, place the peeled plantains and fish on the barbecue grids and start roasting. Remember to turn the sides from time to time for an even roast.
   

   Note: Plantain can also be roasted in an oven. Place the peeled plantains on the grill rack and place the rack as close to the gril as possible. Cover the oven and set to grill. The heat should be between 150°C and 200°C as the plantains need to be roasted slowly. Check from time to time and turn the plantains on the other side to ensure an even roast.
   

2. When the plantain is perfectly roasted, place the pepper sauce on the grid to heat it up.
3. The roasted plantain is ready to be served. Dip the roasted plantains in the pepper sauce to eat.
4. Wash it down with a chilled carbonated drink.
5. Then go and take a nap because that's the only thing you want to do after this meal.

Rice Recipes

                                      

                 How to cook Jollof Rice

   

 

 

The Nigerian food recipe discussed here is the basic jollof rice. This is the most popular Nigerian rice recipe. This is why you will always see it in parties. It is quite easy to prepare if you follow the simple steps. Other variations of jollof rice can be found at:

Ingredients

• Rice - 3 cigar cups | 750g
• 12 medium sized fresh Plum Tomatoes (Jos Tomatoes)
• 20g of tinned / canned tomato puree
• Vegetable Oil
• Chicken (whole chicken, drumsticks or chicken breast)
• Pepper and salt - to taste
• Onions - 3 medium sized bulbs
• Seasoning – 3 Maggi/Knorr cubes & Thyme (1 teaspoon)

Before you cook Jollof Rice

If you will use whole chicken then wash and cut it into pieces. Place the pieces in a pot; add water till it just covers the pieces of chicken, add the chopped onions (2 bulbs) and 1 teaspoon of thyme and start cooking. The cooking time depends on the type of chicken. The rooster or cockerel cooks much faster than the hen. When the chicken is almost done, add 3 Maggi / Knorr cubes and a small amount of salt. Keep cooking till done. Put the pieces of chicken in a sieve to drain, then fry with vegetable oil. You can also grill it in an oven. This is to give it a golden look which is more presentable especially if you have guests for dinner.
Parboil the rice using the method detailed in parboiling rice for cooking jollof rice. Wash the parboiled rice and put in a sieve so all the water drains out.
Wash, blend and fry the fresh tomatoes in vegetable oil with 1 bulb of chopped onions. A well-fried tomato is essential to this Nigerian food recipe. This can make or mar your jollof rice so read How to Make Tomato Stew.

Cooking Directions

1. Pour the chicken stock into the tomato sauce and leave to boil.
2. Add the drained parboiled rice, salt and pepper to taste. The water level should be slightly less than the level of the rice; at most it should be at the same level as the rice. This is to ensure that all the water dries up by the time the rice is cooked.
3. Cover the pot and leave to cook on medium heat. This way the rice does not burn before the water dries up.

If you parboiled the rice as described at parboiling rice for cooking jollof rice, the rice should be done by the time the water is dry. Confirm that the rice is done by tasting it. If not, you will need to add more water and reduce the heat to prevent burning. Keep cooking till done.
Serve with fried plantain, Moi Moi, Nigerian salad or coleslaw.
You can spice up this recipe by adding 2 well known vegetables to arrive at what we refer to as Mixed Vegetables Jollof Rice. Why not try it next time?

                   How to cook Fried Rice

  

The Nigerian Fried Rice must be the best thing that happened to birthday parties, weddings, street parties, picnics, special events and occassions.

 

 

Ingredients

• Rice - 3 cigar cups | 750g
• Vegetable Oil
• Chicken (whole chicken or chicken drumsticks)
• Cow Liver (100g)
• Plain Yellow Curry Powder – no chilli (1 tablespoon)
• Green Beans (a handful)
• 5 medium sized carrots
• Salt (to taste)
• Onions - 3 medium sized bulbs
• Seasoning – 3 Maggi/Knorr cubes & Thyme (1 teaspoon)

Before you cook the Fried Rice

Cut the vegetables

Wash all the vegetables to be used in cooking the fried rice. Scrape and cut the carrots into tiny cubes. Cut the green beans into small pieces of about 0.7cm long. Soak these 2 vegetables separately in hot water for about 5 minutes and drain. Cut 1 bulb of onion. Set all these aside.

Prepare the liver and chicken

Cook the cow liver till done and cut into tiny pieces.
Cut the whole chicken into pieces and cook with 1 teaspoon of thyme and 2 bulbs of chopped onions. When the chicken is almost done, add 3 cubes of Maggi / Knorr seasoning and a small amount of salt. Remember to add water sparingly. Cook till tender. Put the pieces of chicken in a sieve to drain, then fry with vegetable oil. It can also be grilled in an oven till it is golden. This gives it a glowing look which is more presentable especially when you are entertaining guests.

Cooking Directions

1. Parboil the rice using the method detailed in parboiling rice for cooking fried rice. Wash the parboiled rice and put in a sieve so all the water drains out.
2. Pour the chicken stock into a sieve to remove all traces of onions, thyme etc used in cooking the chicken. Pour the stock into a pot and set to boil. Once the water boils, add the parboiled rice. Also, add 1 tablespoon of plain yellow curry powder, then add salt to taste. The plain yellow curry powder is merely for colouring so should not contain chilli.
3. The water level should be slightly less than the level of the rice; at most it should be at the same level as the rice. This is to ensure that all the water dries up by the time the rice is cooked. Stir the contents; cover the pot and leave to cook on medium heat. This way the rice does not burn before the water dries up.
4. Once the water has dried up, check that the rice is cooked. Perfect fried rice is one that the grains are separated from one another, resistant to the bite but not hard.
5. Now, transfer the rice to a casserole dish or another pot to help cool it down quickly. This is essential to keep the grains from sticking to each other. If left in the original hot pot, the rice will continue to cook and eventually stick together.
At this point, it is advisable to divide the vegetables into say 4, 5 or even 6 equal parts. The rice will be fried in batches so this number depends on the quantity of rice you can comfortably fry in the pan or pot. Also, divide the cooked rice and the diced cow liver into the same number of equal parts.
6. Now pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a frying pan. This quantity of oil should be such that it would be absorbed by 1 part of the cooked rice and 1 part each of the vegetables. When the oil is hot, add 1 part of diced onions and stir for 10 seconds, followed by 1 part of diced cow liver, one part each of the diced vegetables, then 1 part of cooked rice.
7. Add more salt if necessary. More curry powder may also be added at this stage if you need to touch up on the colour. Stir till all the ingredients have mixed well and transfer to a dry pot. Repeat this for the remaining batches of the ingredients.

The fried rice is ready. Serve with fried chicken. You can add coleslaw, Moi Moi or Nigerian salad.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Nigerian Fried Rice can go bad very quickly. You can avoid this by spreading it to cool it then refrigerate immediately. Otherwise, eat it once you finish preparing it. If you want to serve it at a party, please cook it very close to the serving time, if not, it will go bad! If refrigerated, it can last for 48 hours without loosing its taste.

                   How to cook Coconut Rice

 

This Nigerian food is called the Jollof Rice with a twist! It feels good to see the looks on your guests' or friends' faces when they think you are serving them the good old Jollof Rice but bam, the moment the first spoon enters the mouth, you are sure to get the looks of pleasure! It makes you feel good, doesn't it? Yes, it looks the same as the Jollof Rice you know but the aroma and taste is different. Why don't you surprise your guests tonight by preparing this easy dinner recipe?

Ingredients

• Rice - 3 cigar cups | 750g
• 12 medium sized fresh Plum Tomatoes (Jos Tomatoes)
• 1 coconut
• 20g of tinned / canned tomato puree
• Vegetable Oil
• Chicken (whole chicken or drumsticks)
• Pepper - to taste
• Salt (to taste)
• Onions - 3 medium sized bulbs
• Seasoning – 3 Maggi/Knorr cubes & Thyme (1 teaspoon)

Before you cook Coconut Rice

If you will use whole chicken then you need to start early. Wash and cut the whole chicken into pieces. Place the pieces in a pot; add water till it just covers the pieces of chicken, add the chopped onions (2 bulbs) and 1 teaspoon of thyme and start cooking. The cooking time depends on the type of chicken. The rooster or cockerel cooks much faster than the hen. When the chicken is almost done, add 3 Maggi / Knorr cubes and a small amount of salt. Keep cooking till done. Put the pieces of chicken in a sieve to drain, then fry with vegetable oil. You can also grill it in an oven. This is to give it a golden look which is more presentable especially if you have guests for dinner.
Now is the time to extract the coconut milk. This is quite an easy task if you follow the procedure detailed in How to Extract Coconut Milk. Set the coconut milk aside.
Parboil the rice using the method detailed in parboiling rice for cooking coconut rice. Wash the parboiled rice and put in a sieve so all the water drains out.
Now, it is time to prepare the tomato sauce. It is usually advisable to prepare tomato sauce before hand and keep in the freezer. This is so that whenever you want to cook any jollof rice related dish, it is just a matter of adding it to your cooking.
Wash, blend and fry the fresh tomatoes in vegetable oil and chopped onions (1 medium bulb). Remember to remove the tomato seeds. Fry till all the water and sour taste are gone from the tomato puree. A well-fried tomato puree is essential to this Nigerian food recipe. Read How to Prepare Tomato Stew for details on how to make the perfect tomato sauce.

Cooking Directions

1. Now we need a pot big enough to accommodate the rice till it is done. Bear in mind that the rice will normally rise by at least one quarter of its quantity from the parboiled state to the done state.
2. Pour the chicken stock, coconut milk and the tomato sauce into the selected pot. Set on the stove to boil. Add the drained parboiled rice, salt and pepper to taste. The water level should be the same as the level of the rice. This is to ensure that all the water dries up by the time the rice is cooked.
3. Cover the pot and leave to cook on medium heat. This way the rice does not burn before the water dries up.

If you parboiled the rice as described at parboiling rice for cooking coconut rice, the rice should be done by the time the water is dry. Confirm that the rice is done by tasting it. That’s the way coconut rice is cooked.
Serve with fried plantain, Moi Moi, Nigerian salad or coleslaw.

                      Nigerian White Rice 

 

                           
The Nigerian White Rice and Stew is a popular Nigerian rice recipe because it lets you eat rice with any stew or sauce of your choice. This rice recipe is usually eaten with Tomato Stew which we almost always have in the freezer so it is just a matter of boiling white rice. So if you already have Tomato Stew in your freezer, the Nigerian White Rice and Stew will be one easy dinner recipe to make if you are tired after a long busy day.
Cooking white rice is as easy as boiling eggs for breakfast. It is usually cooked plain with no added ingredients. Some people add salt but this is optional.
This procedure applies to the long grain white rice.

Ingredients

• Rice
• Salt (Optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Parboil the rice using the method detailed in How to Parboil Rice for Cooking White Rice. You may want to parboil it for much longer depending on personal preference.
2. Pour the rice in a sieve to drain out the hot water.
3. Dip in cold water, then wash and drain.
4. Meanwhile set some water to boil in a pot big enough to accommodate the rice bearing in mind that the rice will rise some more. The extent of rising depends on the type of rice and for how long it was parboiled.
5. Add the parboiled rice and salt (optional). Check to see that the water level is just about the same as the rice.
6. Cook till the water is just about drying up. Check that the rice is done. If not, add more water and keep cooking.
7. Keep checking till the rice is done. Leave to dry completely. This is usually confirmed by a ticking sound coming from the pot.

       

Ramen Noodle Egg Foo Yung

Total Time:

Prep Time:
Cook Time:

12 mins

5 mins

7 mins

 Note:

I can't believe I like this dish as much as I do. I was surprised. This is a variation of a rather bland scrambled egg mix that I found on the net but turning it onto an egg foo yung is really special. Add your own favorite things but this ...

INGREDIENTS

 

• 1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles (I think chicken is the best but I like oriental flavored, occasionally)
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. 1
   Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions and drain well in a colander.
2. 2
   Whisk eggs, onions, 1/2 of the seasoning packet, sesame oil, soy sauce, and baking powder with a fork in a small bowl and set aside.
3. 3
   Heat butter on med high heat in an 8 inch nonstick skillet.
4. 4
   Add drained noodles to butter and brown lightly about two or three minutes. Do not stir.
5. 5
   Pour whisked egg mixture over noodles and gently incorporate, don't really stir, just sort of mix it gently and let the egg set enough to flip the egg patty over.
6. 6
   Flip the patty over and cook the other side until the egg is set, about two minutes.
7. 7
   Flip over again and cook about 1 minute more.
8. 8
   Serve with soy sauce if you wish or an egg foo yung sauce.
9. 9
   ** if you are egg foo yung/patty flipping challenged I have two possible solutions for you.
10. 10
    1.Use duonyte's suggestion and flip a small patty into a larger pan. I have done that and it works very well.
11. 11
    2. I have also used tuna cans as a foo yung mold. Cut out the top and bottom of a large can of tuna with a can opener -- three tuna can molds will fit into a large nonstick skillet and they are the perfect size to flip. (spray the insides of the cans with cooking spray!) Then you have three smaller patties instead of one huge bulky one. The cooking time will be affected -- but when the egg is set it is done. It isn't rocket science. Thank you everyone for your interest in this humble recipe. :lol:.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Crescents

                                    

Total Time:

Prep Time:
Cook Time:

40 mins

10 mins

30 mins

Note:

These are so yummy. Would be perfect for breakfast or brunch or anytime! I just made a batch late this evening. A parent brought these in for a teacher's luncheon and everyone loved them. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. 1
   Roll out one can of crescent rolls in bottom of 9x13 pan.
2. 2
   I sprayed pan with cooking spray.
3. 3
   Cream together: 2 8oz. cream cheese.
4. 4
   1 cup sugar.
5. 5
   1 teaspoon vanilla.
6. 6
   Spread this mixture over crescent rolls.
7. 7
   Lay second tube of crescent rolls over mixture.
8. 8
   Melt 1/2 cup butter, mix in 3/4 cup sugar,
9. 9
   1 teaspoon cinnamon, and pour over top.
10. 10
    Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

Secretly Delicious Spinach Pie

Total Time:   50 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 5 jumbo eggs (or 7 large eggs)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 roasted garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 dash salt
• 3 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional)
• 1 large flour tortilla
• 1 1/2 cups any blend shredded cheese
• 3 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

1. 1
   Mix the first six ingredients (eggs, bacon, milk, garlic, lemon pepper and salt) in a bowl. Set aside.
2. 2
   Lay the flour tortilla in a glass pie dish, press gently - does not need to lay perfectly flat against dish. I don't spray it prior and have never had any issues with it sticking. Especially when made using a glass pie pan.
3. 3
   Sprinkle only 1/2 cup cheese on tortilla.
4. 4
   Sprinkle remaining cheese and the spinach onto tortilla in layers, and press gently. I don't chop or tear the spinach but you might opt to do this.
5. 5
   Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach, be careful not to pour any outside of tortilla as this causes it to stick to pan.
6. 6
   Bake in oven at 365 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Insert fork in center and it should come out clean.
7. 7
   Use sharp knife to cut into pie slices and serve hot.
8. 8
   Other options: Instead of garlic, you can use 1/4 cup onions. For added flavor, serve with homemade salsa.

Balanced Diet

                              

               What is a Balanced Diet?

Eating a balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of foods and drinks from all the food groups. It also means eating certain things in moderation, namely saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, salt and alcohol. The goal is to take in nutrients you need for health at the recommended levels.

Where to Begin

Two examples of a balanced eating pattern are the USDA Food Guide at MyPyramid.gov and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH Diet).
Both eating patterns emphasize fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as low or no-fat dairy products, and lean animal proteins. Fish is recommended at least two times per week, beans, nuts and seeds are encouraged, and unsaturated fats are always the fats of choice - like olive oil.

What About Calories?

Your balanced diet must be planned at your own calorie level, and portion size is key. You want to get the most nutrients for the calories by choosing food with a high-nutrient density. Nutrient-dense foods provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively few calories, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and fish, and whole grains and beans. Low-nutrient dense foods have few vitamins but lots of calories, such as candy bars, soda, donuts and onion rings.

Sample Meals

A high nutrient-dense lunch would look something like this:

2 slices whole wheat bread
Deli turkey
1 slice roasted red pepper
romaine lettuce
1 tsp mayonnaise
baby carrots
hummus
8 oz non-fat milk

A low nutrient-dense lunch would look something like this:

One ground beef hamburger patty
Two hamburger buns
Iceberg lettuce
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 slice American cheese
Order of French fries, fried in peanut oil
Large regular soda
Candy bar

Know Thyself

What really matters, though, is knowing yourself. You need to make responsible eating choices within the context of your preferences and lifestyle. What are your goals? Which food groups do you like to eat? Which food groups are missing? Do you eat too much sugar, salt and fried food? Which foods are the contributors and what foods can you eat instead? The locus of control rests within you to design the best eating plan for you. Eating healthy takes planning and practice. Keep your balance.

A Differing Opinion

Nutrition guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of foods. But, there's a school of thought that eating variety of foods leads to overeating. There's "the tendency to stay hungry longer and eat more food when flavors are diverse and keep changing", according to Dr. David Katz, who maintains that we "fill up on fewer calories when flavor variety is controlled". You've seen this principle in action when you come home with a load of groceries. Don't you want to sample the wide variety of tasty foods?