Christmas Is Here Again

Wow folks! Another week as we edge closer to Christmas. Can you feel the atmosphere of calm as highlighted in the last post?

Rice, Goat meat, Turkey and Chicken Stew. 

Yep! Christmas rice as it is fondly called, served with stew is a staple food of the average Nigerian and we all love it!

Nonetheless, we are going to fill you in, on a few additional recipes for this Christmas. A little extra to spice up your celebration. So everyday until it is Christmas eve, we will put down a recipe you can try out.

FISHERMAN SOUP

Today we are starting with fisherman's soup. As the name implies, it is a seafood with a touch of Nigerian classy style. 

Picture credit: Excellent Nigerian Meals.

Seafood Fisherman Soup is popular Nigerian soup from the south south and south east areas. Technically Fisherman's soup is just a fish broth made with Palm oil.

Ingredients required:

1. Ngolo.

2. Fresh fish.

3. Crabs.

4. Perewinkles.

5. Shrimps.

6. Big dried prawns.

7. Fresh prawns.

9. Cocoyam powder.

9. Utazi seeds.

10. Prepare leaves of Utazi.

11. Uziza

12. Palm oil.

13. Fresh scoth bonnet pepper.

14. Onions

15. Seasoning 

16. Salt to taste

How to Cook:

First clean up the shrimps, fresh prawns, fish, crabs, leaves, dry prawns, periwinkle and anything else that needs to be properly cleaned. Chop the the fish and other ingredients into your desired shape. Chop onions and pepper accordingly.

Add water in a pot and boil the crabs with little salt, half way. 

Add the ngolo and continue cooking.

Then add the fish and big dried prawns and some seasoning to taste.

When the fish is half way cooked, remove from the stock and set aside to prevent it from scattering.

Then add little more water and add the perewinkles and grinded pepper and some palm oil and cover to cook.

When the oil is cooked and well incorporated, add the cocoyam flour mixed in little water and stir in until slightly thickened.

Then put back the precooked fish, fresh prawns, shrimps, uziza leaves and cover to cook.

Let it cook for 5-6 minutes more and turn off heat.

HINTS:

*WHELKS, known as 'Ngolo' in South-South Nigeria, are marine snails – they are also known as gastropods, or edible mollusks. In the United States, they are more commonly known as scungilli.

*Utazi is a climbing shrub with a broad heart shaped leaves. The botanical name of this plant is Gangronema latifolium from the family Asclepiadaceae. It has a characteristic sharp, bitter and slightly sweet when it is eaten fresh.

*Uziza which is scientifically known as Piper guineense. Is a medicinal herb with a long history of use in African traditional medicine. Uziza is the Igbo name for the plant Piper guineense. 

"Bon appetit!"