How about flavour packed slow cooked, melt off the bone Beef Short Ribs recipe? Perfect addition to your Sandwiches, Pasta, Rice or Salads. I served this with my Crunchy Coleslaw recipe which is next.
INGREDIENTS
1kg of Beef Short Ribs (best sourced from your local butchers)
2 tablespoonfuls of Chinese 5 spice mix
1 teaspoonful of freshly milled Black Peppercorns
Salt to taste
50g of optional fresh Rosemary
5 tablespoonfuls of Olive oil
TRADITIONAL CHINESE 5 SPICE MIX
Sichuan peppercorns
Fennel seeds
Cinnamon
Cloves
Star Anise
CHINESE 5 SPICE MIX (ALTERNATIVE MIX)
Aniseed
Cardamom pods
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Cloves
The Chinese 5 spice mix is readily available in most supermarkets across the UK.
Watch how to turn this inexpensive meat into a delicious meal below;
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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.
Thanks to EZ Palmnut, I’m able to make Palmnut soup from scratch without the hassle.
In a previous post CLICK HERE I mentioned how labour intensive the process of making the Palmnut soup from scratch can be; however EZ Palmnut has the solution;
Barbara Mantey started her Palmnut business in 2016 as she needed a quick way to prepare fresh and delicious Palmnut soup after her third child. According to Barbara, she followed the notion that Palmnut soup allowed nursing mothers produce more milk and she wanted to take the hassle away from new Mums.
The EZ Palmnut is mixed with Turkey Berries which increases ones red blood cells and aids digestion. Barbara is dedicated to her business and plans to expand it by exporting it to the rest of the world by the end of the year.
Barbara contacted me via Instagram when she heard I was in Ghana. Challenging as it might be, she managed to send me a few of her products including Palm oil. Due to weight restrictions I was only able to bring the pounded Palm fruit back to my Kitchen to prepare this Palmnut soup recipe.
The beauty about making Palmnut soup is also been able to extract some Palm oil from the soup, which in turn can be used for Beans stew etc.
As you can see below, I’ve scooped the oil from the soup and will use it in another recipe coming soon.
The last time I enjoyed Water Leaves stew was over 20 years ago. During my childhood, Mum and I had the Water Leaves stew at least once a week with either boiled Yam, Plantain or Rice.
Originally from West Africa, Water leaves are rich in Vitamin E, C , Omega 3 fatty acids, low in calories, high in fibre and are great antioxidants (to mention but a few).
I promised myself to source and cook dishes I had during my childhood, when I visited Ghana.
The main reason for visiting Ghana was to reconnect and create new memories with Mum.
Naturally, I handed my list of ingredients to Mum as we headed to Mallam Atta Market to source the ingredients. Mallam Atta Market has always been my favourite Market to source fresh ingredients and I’m particularly fond of the market ladies; I find them warm, welcoming and helpful.
This recipe is inspired by my how my Mum prepared this stew during my childhood. You can cut the leaves into pieces or use them whole as per your choosing.
Please leave comments below if you know where one can get fresh Water Leaves from in the diaspora.
INGREDIENTS
450g of Water leaves
30ml of Zomi or Palm oil
1 large Onion
1 Habanero chilli
2 tablespoonful of Shrimp powder
Half a teaspoon of ground African Nutmeg (Optional)
2 tablespoonful of blended Ginger, Onion and Aniseed
250g of blended fresh Tomatoes
500g of smoked or grilled Mackerel
150g of blended Melon seeds (Egusi/Agushi)
Salt to taste
METHOD
Watch how to prepare this delicious and creative recipe on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’ below;
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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.
What do you mean by the ‘ Ghanaian fried Rice recipe’? With a cheeky grin, I described the recipe was inspired by the Ghanaian boarding school experience.
One had to enjoy their black chilli sauce (Shito) with most things including boiled rice (after sneaking it out of the dinning room to our various dormitories).
I particularly enjoyed mixing my Rice with Sardines, the Black Chilli sauce and wish I could add some sliced Onions.
As I looked into my fridge for something quick for lunch, I decided to create this recipe. Funny how ones experience shapes their decisions for the future. I decided to also film the recipe with the limited time I had, before I went to work.
Watch how to prepare the perfect Coconut rice below, which works perfectly with this recipe.
The best tasting Black Chilli sauce (Shito) recipe is available on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’.
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I decided to use cured Beef for this recipe, since it’s what I had available. The Beef was cured only for 12 hours, hence wasn’t as salty. Please avoid adding Salt if you’re using cured Beef. You can use any Meat, poultry, Fish or Seafood for this recipe. Be creative!
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoonfull of Coconut oil
250g of boiled Rice
2 tablespoonful of Black Chilli sauce (Shito)
180g of thinly sliced Sirloin steak
1 deseeded and diced Green Pepper
2 Eggs
Watch how to make this easy to follow recipe on my YouTube channel below;
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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.
Shoko is a spicy Beef, Tomato and Spinach sauce from Ghana. The Tomato sauce is spiced with Garlic, Ginger and Aniseed; and cooked till you have a thick paste. This is a perfect dish for the cold months ahead.
Traditionally the amount of Chilli used is more, as it’s supposed to be very spicy. I’ve used 1 Habanero Chilli for this recipe which worked perfectly. You can reduce the amount of Chilli to your personal preference.
The Garden eggs and Okra looked inviting and fresh, resulting in me buying some from my local grocer.
My drive home included what I'd make out of my purchases. The decision to prepare Okra and Garden egg stew was quick, since I had some crabs and precooked spiced Lamb pieces left in my freezer.
The cooking time in making this dish was cut in half due to me precooking some elements of the dish, eg;
Tomato Passata and Steamed meat.
INGREDIENTS
350g of chopped Okro
350g of Garden Eggs
1 large diced Onion
250g of Crabs
GINGER BLEND 1 (Crabs)
30g of peeled Ginger
1 large Onion
1 teaspoonful of Aniseed
1 Habanero chilli
NDUDU’s PASSATA
300g of Tomatoes
2 cloves of Garlic
20g of Ginger
GINGER BLEND 2 (Lamb)
30g of peeled Ginger
1 teaspoonful of Aniseed
1 teaspoonful of Carom seeds
1 large Onion
500g of diced Lamb, Goat meat, Fish, Seafood or any Poultry of your choosing
20g of Tomato paste
4 tablespoonfuls of Vegetable oil or your preferred oil.
Salt to taste
Optional chopped Coriander for garnishing.
Method
PASSATA
Blend the Tomato, Garlic and Onion into a smooth paste.
Transfer the blended Tomato into a saucepan and place on a medium heat to simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until you have a thick double cream consistency.
Once cooled down, transfer the mixture into a container with a lid and use it when a recipe requires it.
STEAMED LAMB
Blend the Ginger. Onion, Aniseed and Carom seeds into a smooth paste.
Marinade the Lamb pieces for a minimum of 3 hours.
Transfer the meat into a saucepan and place on a medium to low heat.
Cook on a low heat for an hour and use when a recipe requires it.
Watch the full recipe on how to make this stew below;
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All recipes, photos and videos are by the owner of this blog.
Okra, Okro, Ladies Fingers or Gumbo is rich in Vitamin B, C, Folic acid, Pottasium and Calcium. It' has a high dietary fibre, fewer calories and it's readily available in most grocers and supermarkets.
I first made this dish in 2014 and haven't looked back since. It's crunchy, smoky, delicious and acts as a healthy snack.
I usually add it to my Omelette or Salads and enjoy the crunch it offers.
This is an easy snack to make and works perfectly with a tangy sauce. Enjoy!
Cut the heads and tips off the okra and cut
lengthways
Place the Okra in a bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons
of olive oil.
Place a griddle pan on a medium heat.
Grill the Okra on each side for about 3-4 minutes and set aside.
In a saucepan, add the butter and Olive oil. Place the saucepan on a medium heat. Melt and heat the butter till it browns, but not burnt(Buerre noisette). Turn the heat to a lower setting and add the shallots.
Fry gently for 3 minutes (stirring frequently).
Add the Lemon zest and fry for another minute.
Add the vinegar and increase the heat. Reduce the
juice by a third, which should take about 3 minutes.
Add the Greek basil / Tarragon or your
preferred herbs, stir and remove from the heat.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
To serve;
Add the sauce to a bowl and cover it with the grilled Okra. Drizzle the Okra with olive oil and serve with an optional Green chilli and Ginger blend
To make your Green chilli/ Ginger blend;
Roughly blend 50g of green Chilies/Ginger, 1 medium onion and a pinch of salt. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, mix and serve.
All photos ad recipes are by the owner of this blog. Seek permission before you use and always reference back to my page.
'Kontomire'(Cocoyam leaves)and Egusi (Melon seeds) stew are staples in most Ghanaian homes and can be made with meat, shellfish and fish. It's best served with boiled Yam, Cocoyam, Plantain, Cassava or steamed rice. I've substituted the Cocoyam leaves for Spinach.
Ingredients:
Serves 8
2 bags of Spinach (2 bundles of Cocoyam leaves, washed and chopped roughly)
2 large size smoked Mackerel (remove the skin, bones, head and discard)
2 perfectly ripened oily Avocado cut into chunks.
1 teaspoon of grated ginger.
2 litres of water
Half a teaspoon of salt.
125g of ground Egusi (Melon seeds)
Method:
Place a saucepan on a medium heat and add the Palm oil
Once the oil melts, add the onion and fry gently for about 1 minute.
Then add the chillies and fry for a further minute.
Add the ginger and fry for 30 sec
Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes (stir the sauce to prevent it from burning).
Then add the Mackerel to the sauce and cook for a further 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl add 200ml of water to the Egusi (Melon Seeds) and mix till you have a double cream consistency.
At this stage reduce the temperate to a low heat and add the Egusi sauce.
Cover this and allow the sauce to steam the Egusi for about 5 minutes.
Take care in stirring the sauce as you don't want to break the Mackerel into tiny pieces.
On a high heat boil the Cocoyam leaves for about 8 minutes or if you're using Spinach leaves, just blanch them for 30 seconds.
To blanch spinach;
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.
Take the saucepan off the heat and add the washed spinach.
Mix it thoroughly for 30 seconds (till the spinach wilts).
Drain the spinach into a colander and run it under cold water, (this stops the spinach from cooking further and maintains it's green colour).
Make sure you squeeze any excess water out of the Spinach.
Using an earthen ware pot or a food processor add the spinach, some chillies from the sauce (if using Kpakpo Shinto) and blend/grind to a smooth paste.
The traditional earthen ware clay mortar with it's wooden pestle.
Add the Spinach to the sauce and mix together evenly, still taking care not to break the Mackerel into pieces.
Cook for a further 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
Serve with either boiled Yam,Cocoyam, Plantain, Cassava or steamed rice and Avocado.
Best with homemade pineapple and ginger juice. Enjoy! All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
Find more inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe and share.
Sunday roast is a popular ritual in most homes in the UK, which might include either a Roast Lamb, Beef, Chicken and Potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, steamed vegetables and gravy. This recipe is a fool proof way of achieving the perfectly moist Chicken each time. In my experience of cooking and my upbringing of enjoying organically reared Chicken, I recommend you buy either a Corn fed , free range Chicken or better still an Organic Chicken. It makes a big difference to the taste and texture of the dish. Enjoy the video on my YouTube channel, Ndudu by Fafa, and the transcript below. Don't forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments and share. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1.6kg of corn fed and free range Chicken or an Organic chicken.
30g of finely chopped fresh Thyme
4 cloves of peeled and thinly sliced Garlic
1 tsp of Ancho Chillies.
20 ml of Olive oil
500ml of Chicken stock
1 Jalapenos chilli
2 large Onions
20g of grated Ginger
10g of Greek basil or Basil (Optional)
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
Place the sliced onions (huddled together as a base for the Chicken) in a roasting tray and place the Chicken on top of the Onions.
Marinade
Add 15g of grated Ginger , half the chopped Thyme, Lemon juice , Ancho chillies, Olive oil and salt to a bowl . Mix everything together and set aside.
Stuffing the Chicken
Insert the Garlic slices, the remaining Thyme, Ginger, Basil and Jalapenos chilli
into the cavity of the Chicken.
Pour the marinade over the Chicken and rub it all over the Chicken until its completely covered.
Cover the Chicken with a cling film and refrigerate it for a minimum of an hour.
To cook
Preheat your oven to 200*c
Remove the Chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature , which can take up to 20 minutes.
Remove the cling film and discard. Add the Chicken stock and cover the Chicken with foil ensuring every opening is sealed. Place the Chicken in the middle of your oven and bake for an hour and 20 minutes.
Tip
Check the Chicken after 45 minutes and scoop some of the juices over the Chicken.
Remove the Chicken from the oven after an hour and 20 minutes and leave it to rest for about 5-7 minutes.
Carve your Chicken and enjoy with roast Potatoes, Salad, Vegetables, Jollof rice etc.
Watch how to cook the perfect Jollof rice to accompany your Chicken.
The perfect party Jollof Rice
All photos, Videos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
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
Every Friday night, I tend to create recipes with leftover ingredients in my fridge. On this occasion I had Shitake mushrooms, Chiquito peppers, shallots and frozen peas.
I decided to create a crunchy vegetarian fried rice for dinner. Watching my husband go for seconds with the muffled sound of 'hmm', 'hmm', with each bite he took, made me smile and helped with my decision to blog about the recipe. This recipe is to inspire, hence try using any vegetables of your choosing and enjoy.
My secret to a perfect, fluffy rice, is to rinse the rice thoroughly and leave to sit for about 5-10 minutes, before cooking.
This process cuts the cooking time and requires less water. Enjoy!
Ingredients;
Serves 6
250g long grain rice
300ml of vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
250g of diced Shitake mushrooms
5 medium sized diced Chiquito peppers
250g of frozen peas
2 large finely diced shallots
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 finely diced garlic
100g of crushed roasted peanuts
1 finely chopped green chilli (optional)
Method;
Add the vegetable stock to a saucepan and place on a medium heat.
Place your rice in a colander and wash under a cold tap till the water runs clear.
Leave your washed rice for about 5-10min.
Carefully add the rice to the vegetable stock (which would be hot, hence handle with care) and stir.
Cover the saucepan with it's lid and increase the heat for 2 minutes, till it boils.
Turn the heat down to a low heat and cook the rice for 18-25min.
Cooked long grain rice
Once the rice is cooked, please set aside till later.
In a wok, on a high heat, add the coconut oil and heat up for about a minute
Add the diced shallots and fry for a minute, making sure you constantly stir.
Add the diced Shitake mushrooms and diced garlic, and cook for another minute before adding the chopped Chiquito peppers.
Stir fry the mixture for about 3 minutes
Add your cooked rice to the mixture
Stir till well combined
Add the dark soy sauce and stir continuously for about 3 minutes
Add your frozen peas
Stir fry for further 3-4 minutes
Add the crushed peanuts and stir for another minute.
