A Beginner’s Guide to Nigerian Food

The first foods many people associate with Nigerian cuisine are “Jollof Rice”, “Fufu” and “Egusi”, but that’s only a small part of what Nigerian food has to offer. Even though these dishes are often seen as Nigerian staples, they don’t represent everything Nigerian cuisine has to offer. The most common everyday meal is actually rice and stew. Jollof rice is especially popular at parties, celebrations, and other events.

My last article touched on restaurants you could try in Houston. This time, I’ll help you understand what to order so you won’t feel overwhelmed by the menu.

In this blog, I will tell you the types of rice, swallow foods and soups we have and what’s in them. Refer to my previous blog as to where to find these meals if you are intrigued by them.

Rice Dishes

Rice is one of the most commonly eaten foods in Nigeria and there are many variations. Let’s start with the most common one everyone knows: Jollof Rice. Jollof Rice is made from rice, peppers, tomatoes, onions, groundnut or vegetable oil and meat stock. It is the most common Nigerian dish.

Among Nigerians however, white rice and stew is much more common in households. The rice in this dish is made plainly as the name suggests with salt and a tiny bit of oil (depending on who prepares it) and is accompanied by stew, which is pepper, tomatoes, onions, meat stock and differing proteins like eggs, chicken, turkey, goat or cow meat or any others.

One rice dish that I thought was equally common is the fried rice which is made up of vegetables, vegetable and groundnut oil and spices. This dish can also be a good option for vegetarians, depending on how it’s prepared.

One more rice dish I would like to introduce is the “Ofada” rice. This rice is a special kind of rice when raw and special after it is made. It has a distinct taste and smell from the normal rice we all know. It’s a locally grown Nigerian rice product and is paired with a distinct stew as opposed to others. Ofada rice looks much shorter and the stew called “Ayamase” is made of palm oil, assorted meat, locust beans and spices. It is usually placed in leaves to elevate the taste and texture. This is actually my favourite rice dish.

Swallow Meals

Before you go around calling all swallow dishes “Fufu”, let me help you get accustomed to their names and differences. Let’s start with the regular “Fufu” dish. Fufu is made from cassava and has a soft and stretchy feel.

Then we have “Eba” which is made from roasted cassava which is “Garri” and then molded with hot water to give that soft and solid feel.

We also have “Amala” which is made from yam flour “Elubo” and also molded using hot water. Arguably the toughest swallow to make. It is brown in colour and has a soft and stretchy texture. It is usually served with the “Abula” soup which is “Gbegiri” and “Ewedu” mixed together.

Finally, “Pounded Yam”. This one is my favourite swallow. It is made by pounding boiled yam , hence its name. It is not stretchy but has a soft feel to it. It is usually paired with “Efo Riro” or “Egusi” soup.

Soups

I don’t want to overwhelm you with the amount of soups there are, I will be sticking to four soups worth trying. This is a beginner’s guide after all. You can try these and then eventually try some others.

“Egusi” soup is made up of grounded melon seeds, palm oil vegetables and meats. It is usually paired with Eba, Amala and Pounded Yam.

“Efo Riro” soup is made from palm oil, vegetables, peppers, fish and assorted meats. It is commonly an accompaniment of Amala and Pounded Yam.

“Ogbono” soup is made from dried Ogbono seeds. It also has hints of vegetable leaves in it. It has a slimy texture and has meats and fish in it. It is also known as draw soup.

Finally, “Edikang Ikong” is a Southern Nigerian vegetable dish. It is made from pumpkin leaves, palm oil and various proteins.

You can take liberties on the soups you want your swallow to be accompanied by. As long as you have a broader knowledge of what you are eating, that should be enough.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be shy to ask for food suggestions from the vendors you’re getting your food from. I am sure they’d be happy to help out.

Also, refer to my former article 5 Nigerian Restaurants You Need to Try in Houston to know where to have these dishes.

Maybe I should do a second part some other time, but for now, I hope this guide is enough to keep you from becoming overwhelmed.