SPINACH YAM POTTAGE

This recipe was inspired by a traditional Ghanaian dish called 'Importormportor', (spelt phonetically 😂) meaning 'mushy consistency ', which is also synonymous with  Nigerians as 'Yam Pottage'. 

The dish traditionally includes either Yam or Cocoyam cooked into a somewhat mushy consistency and flavoured with spiced Palm oil or Zomi. The dish can be made with either Fish, Meat or Seafood. Recipe coming soon with a Ndudu twist version. 

I made this dish by accident yesterday and it went down a treat. The amount of chilli can be reduced to your preference and you can use Potatoes instead of Yam. However the sweet moorish taste of Yam lends itself perfectly with this dish. Yam is readily available in most supermarkets and grocers. Read more ...

 

Ingredients 

250g of peeled and diced Yam

300g of Spinach

10g of peeled Ginger

Half a habanero chilli 

1 large diced onion

1 teaspoon of Coconut oil

200ml of Vegetable stock (for a Vegetarian version) , Chicken or Fish stock 

 

Method 

Wash your Spinach and place in a bowl.

Add the chilli to to the Spinach

Boil 1 litre of water in a kettle 

Pour the hot water over the Spinach and chilli and stir for 30 seconds 

Using a colander drain the hot water off the Spinach and run it under cold water for 1 minute. (This stops the Spinach from cooking further and allows it to retain its green colour)

Transfer the Spinach, chilli, Ginger , 200ml of your preferred stock and Onion into a blender. Blend into a silky smooth consistency and set aside. 

Place your diced Yam into a saucepan and cover with water (about 2cm above).

Boil the Yam for 10-12 minutes or until soft and drain the water using a colander. 

Melt the Coconut oil in the saucepan and the diced Yam. 

Add the blended Spinach and cook for a further 2 minutes.

 

 

Serve with your preferred protein as I did with minced Lamb burger. Recipe coming up next

YAM HASH BROWN RECIPE

Hash browns are firm favourites of most people, especially when served as an accompaniment to a full English breakfast. 

The idea of incorporating Yam into this recipe was to reinvent this classic dish with my 'Ndudu Twist'. Yam is to an African what Potatoes is to most. Yam can be boiled, roasted , baked and fried just as you would use Potatoes. Read more.

 

 Yam has a sweeter taste, it's starchier and creamier in texture to Potatoes, hence a perfect ingredient to use for a tastier hash brown version.

Naturally most Hash browns are tasteless , however by adding shallots and Jalapeños to this Yam HASH brown, you achieve a slightly sweeter flavour, with a hint of heat , a creamy and crunchy texture.

If you prefer a slightly bitter taste then use the head part of the Yam. The best part of the Yam (my preference) is the middle part, as It's sweeter and creamier when cooked. The head part of the Yam when cooked is denser and slightly bitter, whilst the tail part is equally bitter but has a slight shredded water filled texture  when boiled. 

 

Yam is also rich in Pottasium, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. A 100g serving  is about 118 calories and it's best served with a protein based sauce,stew or soup for a healthier dish. 

In Ghana 🇬🇭, Yam is consumed with a Spinach and Mackerel based sauce, A smoky Aubergine sauce, it's also pounded into a pliable texture which accompanies soups such as ; 'Goat and Tomato soup', 'Chicken & Peanut soup' (Nkatie Kwan), Palm nut soup with Tuna, to mention but a few. 

West Africans high consumption of Yam (particularly Nigerians 🇳🇬 and Ghanaians 🇬🇭) in the diaspora, has enabled Yam to be readily available in most Supermarkets and local grocers. When next you're shopping for your groceries, replace Potatoes with Yam and thank me later.

Watch how to make this below, on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’.

I love reading and hearing your feedback about my recipes, hence don't hesitate to leave comments below and share the recipe.

 

Shredded Yam

Ingredients 

400g of shredded Yam (Use a grater).

2 finely diced Banana shallots 

Half finely diced Jalapeño pepper

1 large whisked egg

10g of Goats butter or your preferred butter

2 tablespoonfuls of Olive oil or Coconut oil

Salt to taste

 

Method 

Peel the Yam and using a grater shred into thin pieces / julienned 

Wash the shredded Yam under lukewarm water for 3 minutes and cold water for 30 seconds (to get rid of the starch).

Transfer the shredded Yam into a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.

 

Transfer the shredded Yam into a bowl. Add the finely diced shallots, Jalapeño chillies, egg and salt to taste. Mix everything together and set aside.

Place a frying pan on a low heat and add your preferred oil. Warm the oil up gently for 3 minutes and add your butter. Once your butter has melted add the Yam mixture and spread evenly.

 Keep stirring for 5 minutes as it gently cooks.

Using your spatula gather everything into a neat circle (as shown above).

 

Fry gently for 5 minutes on each side till each base forms a perfect crust, as shown above.

 

Toppings 

You can be creative with your toppings and a perfect opportunity to use up leftover stew, sauce, Vegetables, Meat or fish. 

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All photos, videos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

PRICKLY PEAR & PASSION FRUIT MOCKTAIL

The first time I discovered Prickly Pear or Cactus fruit was in Sicily, where it was served as part of a fruit salad for breakfast. It had an unusual taste for a fruit, as it was moorish. The fruit had an outer soft shell that had to be peeled before eaten. Upon pealing you ended up with its flesh mixed with seeds which had a similar texture to Guava.   

Each morning we had a different colour of the Prickly Pear ranging from Green, Yellow or Orange and the level of sweetness differed with each colour. I couldn't help but engage the owner of the B&B to educate me about this fruit. 

The owner's name was 'Toto' (you could imagine my suppressed giggle and maintaining of my composure when he introduced himself). As languages go, his name when translated into one of the languages of Ghana, describes a females body part 😳.

Anyway with keen ears I listened to him educate me about the benefits of the fruit and why he chose to serve it for breakfast.

Prickly pears as it turns out are rich in Vitamin C and fibre which helps the digestive system and boost ones immune system. A perfect remedy for this cold weather.

 

You can imagine my excitement when I found them in my local grocer. Naturally I bought a few and started to imagine the various concoctions I could create. My preference is to shop in my local grocer as I get a personalised service, discover new ingredients and a free education about my new discovery. There are various ways to use the fruit which includes marmalade, drinks or eaten raw. Enjoy this tasty recipe I've concocted with my imagination and understanding of flavours.

 

Ingredients

4 peeled Prickly Pears

2 Passion fruits

400ml of Coconut water

1 teaspoon of cane sugar (Optional)

Crushed ice 

A sprig of mint for decoration 

 

The anatomy of the peeled and sliced Prickly Pear.

The decision to include Passion fruit was to lend the drink a slight tangy and sweeter taste. I prefer the recipe without Sugar but you can choose to add some, to your preference.

Method

 

Place the sliced Prickly Pear into a bowl. Using a spoon or a fork crush into a mushy texture. Slice your Passion fruit in two and scoop its contents into the bowl. 

 

Add the cane sugar (optional) and Coconut juice. C Stir till well combined, cover with cling film and refrigerate till you need it. 

Once you're ready to serve, pass the juice through a strainer and serve into a Cocktail glass or an empty Jam jar. Add the crushed ice and decorate with a sprig of mint for that 'Je ne said quoi' quality. 👌🏾

 

For a cocktail version add a splash of Vodka or Gin.

 All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

CHILLI & OREGANO GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

This recipe was created by sheer convenience and its flavoursome. It's a must go to dish when you're not in the mood to cook. This recipe would work perfectly with Jasmine rice or buttered Cumin rice. Enjoy!

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

20 cleaned Chicken Wings

20g of peeled Ginger

1 large peeled and roughly chopped Onion

Half a tspn of Aniseed (Sukoni)

15g of fresh Oregano or 1 tbsp of dried Oregano 

1 teaspoon of red Chilli flakes 

2 tablespoonfuls of honey 

Zest and juice of 1 Lemon 

1 tablespoonful of Coconut oil

20g of spring Onions

Salt to taste

Method 

Blend the Ginger, Onion and Aniseed into a smooth paste and set aside. 

Clean the Chicken wings by scraping using the back of your knife.

 Cut the tips off the Chicken wings, wash and place them in a bowl with a lid. 

Add the zest and juice of the Lemon and mix well. 

Add the blended Ginger and Aniseed and mix till well coated.

Roughly chop half the fresh Oregano  and sprinkle over the Chicken wings. If you're using the dried Oregano just sprinkle all over the wings.

Marinade the Chicken wings in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hrs or better still overnight. 

Cooking

Preheat your grill to 175*c

Remove the marinated Chicken wings  from the fridge and bring to room temperature. Sprinkle the Chilli flakes over the wings, add salt to taste and mix well. 

Transfer the Chicken wings into a baking tray, add the Coconut oil, mix well  and place it under the grill. 

Grill on each side for 14 minutes. 

Take the Chicken wings out of the Oven and drizzle the honey all over it. Sprinkle the remaining fresh Oregano and Spring onions over the Chicken wings.  Using tongs turn the wings till well coated. 

Place it back under the grill for 5 minutes and remove it from the oven. Let the Chicken wings rest for about 3-4 minutes as the honey coating will be very hot.

Serve and enjoy  every succulent , sweet, spicy and crunchy bite with a chilled glass of Beer.

PS

You can pre marinade your Chicken wings and freeze it till you need it. Best not to keep food frozen for over 3 months. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

Béchamel sauce

Béchamel sauce or White sauce is the base for most Italian and French dishes. I love the versatility of Béchamel sauce, where you can enhance or change the flavour by using herbs and spices. The Béchamel sauce is the base for my next recipe, cheese and pistachio soufflé. This is a fool proof recipe, enjoy. 

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon of plain flour 

1 tablespoon of olive oil / butter

400ml of milk

2 bay leaves

A pinch of grated nutmeg

Freshly milled white peppercorn (optional)

Method;

Place a saucepan on a medium heat and melt the butter

In a separate saucepan add the bay leaves to the milk and warm the milk for about 3 minutes

Add the flour to the melted butter and using a wooden spatula/ plastic whisk mix everything together into a roux. 

Mix for about 3 minutes , add 100ml of the warmed milk and stir till well combined 

Keep adding 100ml of milk each time and whisk the mixture continuously (this is to prevent any lumps forming) 

Keep stirring till you have a double cream and smooth sauce.

This should take about 8 minutes

Season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

Reserve the mixture till you're ready to use it.

Fid more inspiring recipes on my YOuTube channel. Don't forget to subscribe and share. 

GARI ME ANYDAY

'Gari' is a popular West African food which is made out of cassava. It's used the same way, one would couscous and its a staple in most homes.

The process of Gari making includes peeling of the cassava(as shown below) and grating it into a mushy consistency . 

The grated cassava is then placed in a Jute/ Mesh sack, weighted down and left for 3-7 days to ferment(where extraction of its juices and cynide characteristics takes place). 

Grated Cassava

By the 3rd day, most of the juices are  extracted, leaving a somewhat dry coarse texture. 

The Gari is then sieved to get rid of any odd bits and fried till dry (in a huge clay or metal pot). It's usually fried  with Palm oil, for a yellowish colour or without for a pale cream colour.

Uses of Gari/ Cassava (Yuca) 

If you attended boarding school (especially in Ghana) one had 'Gari', the survival ingredient in their 'Chop box'.

 The best boarding school recipes included a sweet variation of mixing the Gari  with milk, water, sugar and peanuts, (popularly known as 'Soakings' in Ghana).

Another popular recipe is where the Gari is sprinkled with water and served  with Shito (the Ghanaian Black Chilli sauce).

Shito

'Shito' is a black pepper sauce made from chillies, dried shrimp or crayfish powder and dried herring powder, which is synanimous with Ghanaians.

Agbeli Kaklo

'Agbeli Kaklo' is a savoury snack made from grated Cassava and onions, which is then deep fried. Its best eaten with slivers of Coconut. 

I love adding the 'Ndudu twist' to traditional African dishes, hence I created a softer and crunchy version of Yuca balls with an Apple sauce and chilli flakes. 

RED RED

Gari is also served with beans stew (popularly known as Red Red). Recipe for the Red Red is available on my blog. 

Waakye

Another popular recipe for Gari is 'Gari Fortor', where the Gari is mixed with a spicy tomato based sauce and served alongside the ever popular 'Waakye' (the Ghanaian rice and beans). 

Attieke

Gari is also used to make the ever popular Attieke, where the Gari is mixed with Olive oil and water. Be inspired to add different ingredients (eg Feta cheese, Wagashi (the West African cheese) Apricots, nuts etc to your Gari for that 'Ndudu' twist. 

I used Gari for my West African interpretation of scotch egg by wrapping it around a soft boiled duck egg. 

The most popular use of Gari is for 'Eba' (mixed with hot water and salt and cooked into a dumpling) which best accompanies sauces and soups like Spinach sauce, Okra soup, Melon seed sauce etc. 

I've only just mentioned a few ways that Gari is eaten. Leave comments below on how you enjoy your Gari. 

 All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

BAKED LAMB SHANKS IN PEANUT SAUCE

This recipe was created by accident (even though the inspiration came from the Ghanaian  Groundnut soup) and I'm excited to share it. 

It started off with a blend of Ginger, Aniseed and Pimenton , which was used to marinade the Lamb Shanks overnight. 

There are days when I just don't feel like cooking (which means I find an easy dish to make, even if it's time consuming). The idea of a one pot dish was appealing, as it meant there would be less washing and I could relax.

I realised I had run out of stock (I prefer to make my own) and I had to think of a substitute. I found half a bottle of Peanut butter and the idea of the sauce was created. 

I served this dish with Jasmine rice , which was the best decision ever. Hmm 😋😋

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Preparation time  10 minutes

Cooking time       2hrs 20 min

Ingredients 

4 Lamb shanks

30g Ginger 

150g of Groundnut or Peanut paste

3 large shallots/Red/White onions (I omitted this, as I'm following a FODMAP diet).

1 teaspoon of aniseed 

1 teaspoon of Pimenton (smoked Paprika) 

1 tablespoon of crayfish powder

4 chopped spring Onions

1 habanero chilli

1 large Tomato

30g of roughly chopped Parsley. 

1 tablespoon of Coconut oil

250g of Jasmine rice

280ml of water

Salt to taste

Method 

Blend the Ginger, 2 Shallots , Pimenton and Aniseed into a smooth paste.

Rub the spice blend over the Lamb shanks , place in a bowl with a lid and marinade overnight in the fridge.

Pre heat your oven to 180*c, remove the Lamb from the fridge and bring to room temperature.

 Pour the contents into a deep clay pot or casserole dish and place in the oven. Increase the heat to 200*c and bake for 20 minutes. 

Add the Peanut butter, the remaining shallot/Onion and Tomato to a blender. Add 1 litre of water and blend to silky smooth consistency. 

Take the Lamb out of the oven and pour the blended spiced Peanut mix into the dish. 

Cover your Claypot or Casserole dish and place it back in the oven. 

Reduce the heat to 180*c and bake for 1hr. 

Using an Oven glove, take the Lamb out of the oven,add the crayfish powder, stir and place it back in the oven.  

Tip

(This ensures the Lamb absorbs the sauce and its moist, when cooked). 

 Cook the Lamb for another hour. 

20 minutes before the Lamb is cooked, start preparing the rice (see below).

Jasmine Rice

Wash the rice till the water runs clear. 

Melt the Coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. 

Add the washed rice, fry and stir constantly for about 3 minutes 

Add the water and stir.

Let the rice boil, 

Turn the heat to the lowest setting, 

Cover with a scrunched up baking or greaseproof paper (this will trap the steam). Cover with the lid and leave the rice to cook for 18-20mins

Remove the Lamb from the oven carefully (with an oven glove)and add the chopped spring Onions and Parsley. Stir and leave to rest for about 10 minutes. 

Check the rice as it should be cooked by now. 

To serve

Scoop a portion of the Jasmine rice into a deep bowl, add the sauce to the side, sit a Lamb shank on the sauce and sprinkle with your preferred herbs.

 Best served with homemade Lemonade or a dry white wine. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.