Hibiscus: Discover Fresh Flavours from West Africa with the Observer Rising Star of Food 2017. Lope Ariyo
of dried cassava technically makes eba an amala, but it’s closer to Fufu in colour, so I like to consider it a hybrid between the two! It’s best paired with Bell Pepper Soup (Obe Ata) and Seafood Okra Soup (Obe lla) as seen here.
Amala Isu, or yam amala, is my grandma’s favourite okele and it apparently tends to be eaten by the older generations in Nigeria. She believes it’s an acquired taste and that you’ll know you’re matured when you start to enjoy it. She would probably shudder at my method, but this version of amala is beginner friendly. I suggest trying it alongside my Spinach and Lamb Stew (Efo Riro) and Egusi Soup (Obe Egusi), or as is done traditionally, with Bean Soup (Obe Gbegiri).
PREP TIME: 5 MINS
COOKING TIME: 15 MINS
SERVES: 4
2 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
200g garri
Prepare any soups beforehand, following the recipes on the pages indicated. Fill and boil a kettle.
Add 400ml boiling water to a large saucepan and leave on a medium–high heat. If using, add the coconut oil to the pot. Once the coconut oil has completely melted, quickly pour the garri into the pan and stir well.
As the garri granules begin to absorb the water, turn the stove down to a low heat, tilt the pot towards you and, using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture until it starts to thicken and has turned translucent. Add another 400ml boiling water to the pot, cover with a lid and let steam for 3–4 minutes. Beat the eba once more until there are no visible lumps. The eba should be soft and sticky, but when pressed down holds its shape.
Divide the eba into four and wrap each portion in cling film. Let cool for a few minutes before taking out of the cling film and shaping into balls using wet hands. Serve with hot bowls of soup.
PREP TIME: 10 MINS
COOKING TIME: 40 MINS
SERVES: 4
400g dried yam flour, sifted
2 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
Prepare any soups beforehand, following the recipes on the pages indicated. Fill and boil a kettle of water.
Mix 200g of the dried yam flour with 600ml cold water until the consistency of cake batter.
If using, melt half the coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium–high heat. Pour the amala batter into the saucepan and stir constantly for 10 minutes until the batter thickens to a wet dough. Create dents in the amala and pour in 200ml boiling water, making sure to fill every crevice. Cover and let steam for 5 minutes. Take the lid off and, using a wooden spoon, beat the amala for 3 minutes until smooth and the dough has turned mink-brown. Divide the amala into two and wrap each portion in cling film. Repeat for the remaining 200g of dried yam flour.
Take the amala out of the cling film and shape each portion into a ball using wet hands. Serve with a hot bowl of bean soup.
PLANTAIN MASH WITH GINGER CORN AND OKRA GRAVY
When I want something similar to Okele (see previous page) but don’t want to spend quite as much time making it, I turn to mash. Plantain mash is sweet, light and velvety. In this recipe, I’ve paired it with corn seasoned with ginger, and gravy made from okra. Cumin features heavily in the flavouring of this dish – it’s used lots in African and Caribbean cooking, often as part of curry powder blends. I love how its earthy taste blends with the sweet, mellowness of the plantain. Serve on its own or with Mum’s Grilled Chicken Drumsticks.
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOKING TIME: 25 MINS
SERVES: 4
3 yellow plantains, peeled and halved
100ml rice milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
grains of paradise, to serve (optional)
FOR THE GRAVY
1 tbsp coconut oil
8 okra fingers, wiped and finely chopped
3 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
250ml vegetable stock
salt and black pepper
FOR THE CORN
4 corn cobbettes or 2 halved corn cobs
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
For the gravy, melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the okra along with the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the flour and coat the vegetables before slowly pouring in the vegetable stock, whisking vigorously to combine well. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 10 minutes until the gravy has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and use tongs to drop in the corn. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil with the ginger, nutmeg, and some salt and pepper. When the corn is ready, take it out of the pan using tongs and toss with the ginger oil mix.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the plantains. After 10 minutes, or when the plantains turn bright yellow and can easily be pierced with a fork, drain them and mash them in the pan with the back of a fork or a potato masher until they’re smooth. Return the pan to the heat and add the rice milk, coconut oil, onion granules, garlic granules, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined.
Distribute the mash and corn evenly on to plates, drizzle with the okra and mushroom gravy and sprinkle with a few grains of paradise, if using. Serve immediately.
AMALA CRACKERS WITH ONIONS GALORE
I like using dried yam flour for creating crackers and dumplings as well as amala (see here) although it can have a bitter aftertaste so it’s important to season well with a contrasting flavour.