A message for bobrisky from the most controversial one "shirted" uchemaduagwu ..

Nigerian terrorist now regarded as Britain's most dangerous prisoner
.
.
Muslim extremist Michael Adebolajo, who is one of the murderers of Fusilier Lee Rigby is now regarded as the most dangerous prisoner in the British penal system. .
.
The 31-year-old man has been described by prison officer as “violent, unpredictable and a major danger to other prisoners”. But the real threat he poses is his ability to radicalise other inmates, prison sources have revealed. .
.
Dozens of prisoners have said to have fallen for Adebolajo’s twisted version of Islam and have vowed to become Jihadis when they are eventually freed. .
.
Even non-Muslim prisoners are said to have converted to Islam and sworn an allegiance to Islamic State after being radicalised by the killer. .
.
According to Mirror Online, one prison official said: “Adebolajo spends most of his waking hours preaching his distorted form of Islam to anyone who will listen. He sees every inmate as a potential Islamic State soldier whether they are Muslims or not. .
.
.
He has a big personality and is very charismatic and some of the more vulnerable prisoners will fall under his spell. He is a very dangerous individual.” .
.
The source said that Adebolajo now sees his role in life to recruit as many Jihadis as possible for the remainder of his life. It is understood that Adebolajo has been given “special category” status because of the danger he represents. .
.
The source added: “If he is suspected of trying to radicalise other inmates we step in and move him. But even in prison, Adebolajo cannot be watched all the time. We don’t have the staff or the resources.” .
.
Adebolajo and accomplice Michael Adebowale murdered defenceless Fusilier Lee Rigby, 25, near his barracks in Woolwich Barracks, South East London in 2013. Both men received life sentences.

There are basic dos and don’t s for a perfect fried rice in my book, here they are:

1) Do season your boiled rice base or use broth; water doesn’t work

2) Don’t overcook your rice. This is the first step to a disastrous fried rice. If the rice is overcooked and mushy, please just remake it

3) Day old rice works best but it’s not a must. If you have a particular day you almost always make fried rice, make your parboiled rice a day before and store in the fridge

4) Season your vegetables while they are chopped and resting, it helps the overall flavour of the prepared rice

5) It’s okay to like your rice a little on the yellow/green side, however you don’t want an overpowering curry taste. Use turmeric for color and curry for flavor

Follow these suggestions  and you will always prepare great fried rice.

Important Note:

The rice you use for the fried rice is just as important as the cook. I have been known to splurge a little on my rice. I have a trusted brand and I stick to it no matter the cost. Here is a handy water to rice ratio tip:

basmati rice: 1 part rice to 1 1/4 parts liquidparboiled rice : 1 part rice to 2 parts liquid

The Perfect Nigerian Fried Rice

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  35 mins

Total time:  45 mins

Serves: 6

You may add protein into your fried rice. Shrimp, mincedmeat and chicken are great options. Thoroughly cook the meat and combine with prepared vegetables before adding in the rice.

Ingredients

Spices

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

2 cubes maggi1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon white pepper 

(substitute other ground pepper)2 teaspoon curry powder (divided)1 teaspoon thyme

Other

4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)½ cup chopped 

onion3 cups mixed vegetables 

(bell pepper,carrot, peas, cabbage & sweetcorn)

2 cups rice (washed) (Parboiled or Basmati

Directions

Season chopped vegetables with some salt, maggi and pepper. Set aside

-I love to make my carrot into flower. Simply carve 4 thin incisions lengthwise on the carrot then slice. see photo below

Place a large pot (with a good fitting lid) on medium heat. Heat up one part of oil and add in onion rosemary and bay leaves. Stir-fry until onion is fragrant and translucent. Add in 1 part each of curry, thyme, 1 cube maggi and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir.Add in 4 cups water (3 cups if using basmati rice). Cover the pot, increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

- Alternatively use any type of broth you have on hand

Reduce the heat on the broth to low-medium add in the rice and stir. Cover the pot tightly. leave the rice to cook for 25 minutes (or 15 minutes if using basmati rice). Uncover the pot and spread the rice on a flat plate to cool

-if the rice isn't cooked to your liking, leave the pot covered for another 5-10 minutes (do not add more water)

-If the rice is cooked but there is still residual water in the pan, leave the rice UNCOVERED on medium heat for another 5 minutes

Place another large pot on medium heat, add in the left over oil and heat slightly. Add mixed vegetables and left over seasoning. Stir fry for 2-3 minutesCombine the precooked rice and vegetables. Stir well to combine.Taste and adjust for seasoning as neededYour rice is ready to serve. Enjoy with some fried plantain and stewed meat or chicken

HOW TO MAKE OFE Akwu, palmkennel stew Banga soup (stew)... has over the years topped the list of Nigerian stew recipes due to its uniqueness and blend of natural ingredients.
 I learned that it is more advisable to make stew with palm oil than groundnut/vegetable oil.

This is entirely different from the Deltan version that is served with starch or eba. If that is what you are looking to make, here is the recipe – 

The Banga soup (ofe akwu) is very easy to make and very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria, almost every ingredient used in Making this stew could be gotten from the farm, that is why it is a little bit easier for folks in the rural areas while it remains difficult for people outside the country to find all the ingredients that are required.

This is another kind of Nigerian stew popularly eaten by the Igbos and some other parts of Nigeria; I would prefer this stew above Nigerian tomato stew any day. This is a delicious plate rice, served with banga stew (soup) plus a sprinkle of peas. (the peas was boiled for 3 minutes on low heat)
Here is a list of ingredients used in making Nigerian Banga soup (stew) ‘ofe akwu’, (as the Igbos like to call it). Most of these ingredients can be purchased from any Nigerian market or African shops in case you live outside Nigeria.

Ingredients: | Serving : 6×2 Persons
Banga (palm fruit) (9-10 cups)
2KG of Meat (I used goat meat while making the video below, you can use chicken, turkey or a combination of two)
1 sachet of ‘Onga soup’ spice
A cup of Sliced onions
2 cups of sliced fluted pumpkin(optional)
2 cubes of maggi
A cup of sliced Scent leave
Dried fish (500g)
Half cup of ground Crayfish
Fresh or dried pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Little cut of ginger.. 

“Onga soup” is a special kind of spice that I use in making Nigerian banga soup and few other Nigerian foods, You will find this in the video below. Onga is made by promasidora (Nigeria) LTD, I think the company is located in Switzerland.

Like I always say; there are lots of spices and flavors used in making Nigerian foods, most of which are also franchised in almost every country of the worlds. Take knorr cube for instance, this ingredient is available in almost every country of the world in different forms and shapes, knorr or maggi is used in almost every known Nigeria food recipe.

The good thing is that you can use almost any spice for Nigerian foods although there are just a few that are irreplaceable.

Below is the image of pounded palm fruit with a portion of the squeezed-out thick juice in a plate and then by the right is sliced onions, scent leaves in a plate

Soak the dried fish in hot water and wash thoroughly to remove sand and dirt,
blend the crayfish or blend together with dry pepper if you are making banga stew with dried pepper, although I prefer to use red fresh peppers.

Chop the onion and set aside in a plate, I like to make most foods with lots of onions just because of its health benefits.

How To Make Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu).

Cook the palm fruits (banga fruits) for 30 to 50 minutes then pound with a mortar and pestle, you will see how this is done in the video below. Pour water in a bowl, add the pounded palm fruit and try to squeeze out the thick syrup. The palm fruit juice is a major part of banga soup this can also be used in making Nigerian soups (then you wouldn’t need palm oil).

Pour the squeezed-out thick juice into a bowl and set aside.

Wash the meat with hot water and parboil with a separate pot till it is tender (be sure to add the ingredients – use the 2 cubes of maggi, a teaspoon of salt, half cup of onions.), It is possible to make a delicious meal with tasteless meat, that is the only reason I advise you to use lots of ingredients while parboiling the meat. Then very little or none while making the main foods, just use the meat stock (water from the meat) and you will be fine.

Add the squeezed-out palm fruit juice to the boiling meat on fire.

Add the (dried fish and crayfish) to the cooking pot and cook for about 10 minutes
Add your spices if it is not yet as tasteful as required. (Sachet of “onga soup” and/or a cube of maggi, knorr or royco). Stir and add the scent leave (chopped), sliced onions, salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook for another minute then add the chopped vegetables (optional), allow to simmer for another 3 minutes and you just made a delicious Nigerian banga stew (ofe akwu)

Serve with rice, yam or cooked beans

That is how to make banga soup (stew) in Nigeria, the Igbos call it “ofe akwu”.

How To Prepare African Salad (Ugba/Abacha)

Ugba: The african Salad

Preparation
The preparation of the oil bean seed to make ugba begins with cooking of the seeds, slicing the cooked seeds into thin strips and washing. Then allow to ferment for 3 to 4 days before use. When first sliced of ugba has a grayish white color, after fermentation it turns dark brown. Then it is ready for use in salads.

Ingredients:
– 1 cup, Palm Oil
– 6 Garden Eggs, diced
– 400g Abacha (dried shredded cassava)
– Stockfish- 10 pieces, spiced and cooked
– 10 pieces of Kpomo, spiced and cooked
– 100g Ugba, sliced
– 1tbsp Garden Egg leaves, finely chopped
– 1/4 tsp Potash
– 1 Seasoning cube
– Chilli Pepper to taste
– 2 tbsp ground Crayfish
– Boiling water
– Salt to taste

Directions:
– Season and cook the stockfish and pomo
– Soak the abacha in cold water for about 10minutes
– Drain out the cold water, pour boiling water over it and quickly drain out the water
– Let it sit in a colander for about 5minutes
– Dissolve the potash in water and then stir with the palm oil in a pot
– Place on heat and add the pepper, crayfish and seasoning
– Stir properly then add the ugba,chopped garden eggs,the stockfish and pomo
– Add the add abacha and mix properly allowing all the ingredients to blend
– Garnish with chopped garden egg leaves
– Add salt to taste

Nutritional benefits:
It was discovered through research findings that the oil bean extracts were effective as antimicrobials and antispasmodics as well as useful for treating diarrhea. John Ifeanyi Chidozie ‘s presentation also showed that that patients who regularly consumed fermented oil bean seeds had a reduced risk of cancer and tobacco-related diseases

OKAZI soup.

Ingredients

1½- 2lbs assorted meats3-4
small dry fish pieces(soaked, washed and de boned)
1-1/2 cup sliced okazi(soaked and washed)2 tbsps.
crayfish powder1tsp dry pepper powder1tbsps. achi or Ofor powder1tbsp uziza leaves½-2tbsp ogiri paste1 habanero pepper2 tbsps. palm oilBouillon(optional)salt to taste.

Instructions

wash and place the meats into a soup pot. Season with the dry pepper powder, bouillon(if using), salt, and 1tbsp crayfish powder. Pour water a little above the level of the meats and cook until soft.Meanwhile, in a mortar, mash the ogiri paste along with the habanero and uziza leaves and set aside. Once the meat is tender, mix some of the achi powder with some of the meat stock in a separate bowl until it looks like a slurry and set aside. Add the mashed ogiri paste and the oil into the pot and top the pot up with some water if needed. Cover and let the pot come to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until the oil is properly mixed with the meat stock and has lost the raw taste. Add the achi or ofor mix in little increments along with the okazi leaves and dry fish. (do not add too much of the achi mix; eye ball on how thick you want it to be). Lower the heat, check for seasonings and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve with pounded, yam, fufu or eba 

Main Cooking Steps (Instructions)

• Place the goat meat pieces into a large pot and place on a cooker
• Pour a little amount of water just enough to cook the meat. This is because there is no need for stock water. Add the two cube seasonings, a tea spoon each of thyme and curry. Cook for about 20 minutes.
• Add salt and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. When the meat pieces are tender enough, set aside.
• In another pot, add palm oil, pour the sieved water of the potash slowly into the pot containing palm oil and stir using a wooden spatula until the oil turns completely yellow.
• Add two table spoons of crayfish and stir.
• Add the grounded (Ehu seeds) calabash nut meg, grounded or blended onions and pepper (to taste) and less than a handful of sliced utazi leaves. Stir properly.
• Pour the cooked goat head meat pieces into this mixture and stir well.
• Place on cooker and let it simmer for few minutes under low heat until it is piping hot. Do not forget to cover the pot during the cooking process.

Okro soup is 
Do we remember making a pot of (Okra) Okro soup with just two hundred and fifty Naira, (10 years ago 😀 )… more like a one dollar soup.

I used frozen fish, Okra and some other ingredients to prepare the soup, then you could buy a good frozen fish with just forty or fifty Naira, I am talking about the “good old days”.

Okra soup is one of the most common soups eaten by the people of Igbo, often it is combined with ogbono for best result, you can learn more here about making 

There are several reasons why I like this soups above other Nigerian soups, the most outstanding reason being that kids love it, I learned that the best way to introduce eba or fufu to kids is to serve with Okra or ogbolo soup, this way it would be very easy for them to swallow, I have tried it and found that it works perfect.

Sliced okro, cleaned roasted fish at the top right (or frozen fish), combination of ground crayfish and red peppers.

Okro is also good for adults, as a matter of fact I just made a pot of okra soup before writing this, a very small quantity that would serve for this night, it is Sunday night here in Nigeria. I like this soup because the two major ingredients are very rich in vitamins (okra and fluted pumpkin)

So lets make a delicious pot of Nigerian Okra soup, The exact way an Igbo woman would like to make it, Did I tell you that Okra is one of the most popular soup in Igbo land especially from April to July, its exact harvest season

Below is the list of ingredients that was used in the process, you can always increase or reduce depending on the number of the person you are looking to feed and of course their stomach sizes.

Ingredients For Okra (Okro) soup

Serving 4×2 | Preparation time:

Okra (a medium size bowl full)
Fluted Pumpkin leaves (as desired) optional – I don’t use it.
Stock fish head (medium size)
1 kg of meat (beef, chicken, turkey, etc)
2 medium sizes frozen mackrel (optional)
Or Roasted mackrel (optional)
2 to 3 cubes of Maggi or knorr (seasoning)
Salt and pepper to taste.
200ml Red (palm) oil
half cup of ground crayfish

Okra Soup Preparation In Nigeria

Slice the okra and set aside in a bowl, the trader in most Nigerian markets can assist you with slicing the okra, but you can also try using a kitchen knife, I like to slice Okra myself, although there is no harm in using the help of the market women.

If you want to make this soup with just frozen fish, the process is a little bit simpler than using cow meat. You will need to parboil the fish with all the necessary ingredients for five to ten minutes. Then pick out with a fork leaving the extract (water from fish after cooking) in the pot, add two cups of water also, then the hot-water-washed stock fish and dry fish.

But if you are making this soup with cow meat you would want to parboil the meat with all necessary ingredients, I like to parboil meat with lots of ingredients and then use very few ingredients while making the real soup, it is likely that the whole ingredient would be left in the meat extract (meat water) after parboiling. Parboil with only ingredients for about ten minutes then add about two cups of water and cook till the meat is tender.

For me, I used a combination of fresh (frozen mackrel) and beef.

Precook them together, remove the fish after 8 minutes and continue cooking the meat until it becomes soft.

Add the stock fish, cook for about 15 minutes till they are soft for consumption.

Add palm oil, crayfish, 1 or 2 cubes maggi (seasoning), pepper and salt to taste. You will find a tasteful soupy combination. You can add the ground ogbolo at this point if you are making a combination of Okra and Ogbolo soup, it is a good combination even though I don’t do it often.

Add the okra five minutes after the ogbolo, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes before adding the leaves (optional), you can use fluted pumpkin or the normal pumpkin leaves. Allow to simmer for another 3 to minutes and you can serve with eba, fufu or semo.

You just made a very delicious Nigerian okra soup

Vegetable soup normally  called EFO'  popularly called by the Yoruba's is a great soup when preparing with appropriate ingredients Required as we would be analysing on it in this Recipe.

There are countless cultures in Nigeria, just so is the diversity of the vegetable soups of different kind. Nigerian Vegetable soup differs from tribe to tribe and the only head way is that some vegetables are more popular than others.

Eforiro, Afang, Edikaikong, etc are some of the popular ones around. These vegetables are the constants in their native kitchens.

As much as we like trying our hands on something different, it wouldn’t be an anomaly for the Yoruba kitchen for example to try out Edikaikong soup, which is themed as a vegetable soup from the east. Follow the instructions below to try the Edikaikong soup at home

How to make Nigerian vegetable soup:
Tools needed
*. Kitchen knife
*. Chopping board
*. 2 bowls (medium/large)
*. Cooking pot
*. Sieve

How to Prepare the Nigerian vegetable soup: Ingredients
*. Fresh clean water
*. 1 cup of palm oil
*. 6 cups of ugwu leaf
*. Chicken/Beef/fish
*. 2 spoons of ofor
*. 12 cups of waterleaf
*. 2-3 onion bulbs
*. 500g dried fish
*. 1 cup of grounded crayfish
*. Salt (to taste)
*. Pepper (to taste)
*. 1 cup of periwinkle
*. Stock fish head (medium size)

How to make Nigerian vegetable soup: Instructions
1. Cut and wash the meat to prepare it for cooking.

2. Parboil the meat, slicing in 2 onion bulbs, seasoning cubes (to taste) and any other spice. Cook till meat is almost soft for consumption.

3. Boil water and wash the stock fish, removing the sand and other particles, then add to the meat on fire.

4. Rinse the vegetables in cold water and slice it into separate bowls (the water leaf aside and the ugwu aside).

5. Pour hot water into the bowls to soak the leaves for at least 3 minutes, then sieve out the leaves and throw away the water.

6. Repeat the process until you are sure there is no more sand.

7. Add 1 cup of palm oil to the boiling meat on fire, add salt and pepper to taste.

8. Cook for 6-10 minutes, until there is very little traits of water.

9. Add grinded crayfish, periwinkles, a spoon of grinded ofor (sprinkled) and stir.

10. Leave to cook for 4-5 minutes.

11. Add the water leaf, stir very well and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the ugwuleaf and stir.

12. Leave to simmer for 3 minutes.

13. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool off.

Your Edikaikong soup is ready to be served with your favourite solid meal, be it Eba, Wheat, Semo, Pounded yam or Fufu.

Notes
*. Overcooking your vegetables doesn’t only make it overly soft; it also makes it lose its nutritional value. So be careful with the timing.
*. This procedure is for the Edikaikong soup in particular and the procedure cannot be substituted for another vegetable soup.