Hibiscus: Discover Fresh Flavours from West Africa with the Observer Rising Star of Food 2017. Lope Ariyo
10. GARLIC
11. SCOTCH BONNET CHILLI
12. LIME
13. AVOCADO
14. OKRA
15. GARDEN EGGS
16. PLANTAINS
YAMS are tubers with an inedible dark brown bark and a white flesh that should be completely soft before being eaten. When cooked, yams are very similar in texture to Maris Piper potatoes, but with more natural sweetness. Typically, they’re eaten boiled but you can cook yams just as you would cook potatoes. They’re also dried out in the sun and processed to make a flour (labelled elubo isu in African grocery stores), which can be used for Okele or to make dumplings (Beef and Amala Stew Pot) and muffins (Amala Chocolate Muffins).
CASSAVA is a large tuber with brown bark and hard, white flesh. When cooked, it has a somewhat tangy, sourdough-like taste. Like most tubers, it can be eaten boiled, steamed, roasted or fried. It’s also milled into a flour that is typically used for making Okele, or processed to make garri.
SCOTCH BONNET CHILLI is an essential aromatic used in Nigeria, where many people like their food extremely spicy. It’s fine, however, to use regular long chillies if you’re not keen on extra-spicy food.
OKRA, also called lady fingers, are green pods with white seeds, generally no bigger than the size of a finger. They can be eaten raw and turn slimy when overcooked. Quite plain in taste, okra are great at absorbing flavours from herbs, spices and other vegetables.
GARDEN EGGS are not to be confused with eggplants (the American name for aubergines), although they belong to the same family and are similar in texture, albeit slightly softer. They’re round and white in colour (hence the name), and are best eaten cooked. I enjoy them roasted and eaten with other vegetables, such as in my Nigerian Roasted Veg.
PLANTAINS look similar to bananas (they are a member of the same family), but are much larger and also have squarer ends. They’re also less sweet, which makes them incredibly versatile, and they can be used in sweet and savoury dishes.
HERBS AND SPICES
1. CAYENNE PEPPER
2. EFIRIN
3. EGUSI SEEDS
4. DRIED BIRDSEYE CHILLIES
5. DRIED OREGANO
6. CLOVES
7. COCONUT FLAKES
8. HIBISCUS
9. PAPRIKA
10. BAOBAB
11. PEPPERCORNS
12. NUTMEG
13. DRIED BAY LEAVES
14. CUMIN SEEDS
15. CASSAVA FLOUR
16. CHILLI FLAKES
17. FINE-CUT DRIED HIBISCUS
18. DRIED THYME
19. CINNAMON
20. GARLIC GRANULES
21. UDA
22. GARLIC
23. GROUND GINGER
24. GROUND TURMERIC
25. CELERY SALT
CAROB
MORINGA
PALM JUICE, WINE AND VINEGAR
RED PALM OIL
KOLA NUTS
GARRI
BEAN FLOUR
ATAMA
CAYENNE PEPPER is used a lot in Nigerian cooking – usually dried whole peppers rather than its powdered form. Nigerian dishes are more likely to be seasoned with cayenne pepper than black pepper because of Nigerian fondness for spice.
EFIRIN, also known as clove basil, is a herb with waxy, jagged leaves. It is primarily used to flavour soups in Nigeria, although it’s so versatile that I use it in all sorts of dishes. Common basil is a good substitute.
EGUSI SEEDS are found inside gourds such as pumpkins and melons. They’re like very flat blanched almonds in appearance, and emit a nutty aroma when toasted. Generally, they’re ground and used to thicken soups and stews.
HIBISCUS is a purplish-red flower with a zesty cranberry flavour. The petals are often dried, so it can be enjoyed all year round. It’s an incredibly versatile ingredient and can be used in savoury dishes with meats and in sweet recipes, too.
BAOBAB trees produce pods, in which you will find the fruit – cubes that look like fluffy, white marshmallows. In Nigeria, the fruit is snacked on because of its refreshing taste. For export, it’s generally dried and processed to a nutrient-packed powder that can be found in health stores. The leaves of the baobab tree are also used for adding flavour to soups and stews.
UDA, also called Selim pepper, is native to West Africa and is often used in stews and soups. It looks like a vanilla pod, only with a thicker exterior, and the berries inside are chestnut brown with a fragrant, lemony-wood scent. They’re used in the marinade for a popular Nigerian street food, suya.
CAROB, or locust bean, is a tropical pod containing a sweet pulp that is dried and ground to a chocolatey brown powder.
MORINGA is a tree widely cultivated in northern Nigeria, where its leaves are primarily eaten in soups. Its powdered form is a vivid green colour not dissimilar from matcha powder. It has a sharp taste with nutty accents.
PALM JUICE, WINE AND VINEGAR are made from palm tree sap. Upon extraction, it is a naturally sweet juice. Within a few hours, it ferments and turns to wine with a low alcohol content. Left much longer, it turns to palm vinegar.
RED PALM OIL has a unique sweet flavour with mild hints of carrot and is a similar consistency to coconut oil. In West Africa it is harvested sustainably and used in its raw form. Try to find brands that responsibly source their palm oil. If you can’t find palm oil, you can cook with any other oil but the flavour and colour won’t be the same – I’ve pointed out when really only palm oil will do!
KOLA NUTS are the main flavouring in a certain popular soft drink. The reddish-brown nut is high in caffeine and generally tastes bitter, so is often mixed with sugar. In Igbo culture, they are usually eaten whole and offered as a sign