COME EAT MY DELICIOUS "UKODO"!

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog. Today I am doing something different. It's been raining a lot and I want to teach you a delicacy that is perfect for cold weather. Oh yeah! Delta State has got beautiful and tasty delicacies for all occasion and this is just perfect for the rainy season.

Delta State is a state located in the southern part of Nigeria. The food I'm about to talk to us is a spicy traditional food of the urhobos and the Isokos. Although most people often mistake the Isokos for the urhobos because of the similarities in culture. So what do I have for us today? It is a native food known as "ukodo" or Yam and unripe plantain pepper soup. Yeah it is just like your normal peppersoup but here the broth is thicker because of the yam and unripe plantain in it. Do I see someone salivating already? Not yet, how about I take you on a journey of how to prepare this wonderful delicacy.

Ukodo

INGREDIENTS

1. 4 Large slices of yam
2. Medium sized unripe plantain
3. 1kg Goat meat
4. Dry fish (Optional)
5. Ehuru (African nutmeg)
6. Urhirien (black seed pods)
7. Ughwerun powder (1/2tsb)
8. Lemon grass (optional)
9. Scent leaves (efirin)
10. Crayfish
11. Dry pepper
12. Maggi cubes
13. Salt
14. Pepper soup spices

METHOD OF PREPARATION

• Cut the goat meat into small pieces and wash carefully removing all dirts. Place the goat meat in a pot and add your normal seasoning for steaming meat. Do not add too much spices so as not to kill the scent of the goat meat as it adds flavour to the food.

• Marinate for about 30minutes if interested and if not well move it straight to the fire and cook for at least 45 minutes until the goat meat is tender.

Urhirien seeds

• While steaming the goat meat, crack open the Ehre from shell and pound with crayfish. Pound the Urhirien in another mortar enough to crack open then remove the seeds and keep. Peel the yam and plantain and slice/chop to desired size and shape.

• Once the meat is tender, reduce the heat and add the ground spices, the Ughewerun powder, dry pepper, pepper soup spices and a little water and allow to boil.

• After about 5 minutes, add the slices of yam and chopped plantain which has been watched into the broth and allow to simmer for as long as it takes the yam to cook. Do not worry if the broth is thickening, it is to be expected. If it is too thick, add a little water to dissolve it a bit until there is consistency. If it is not thickening, bring out some pieces of yam and mash it then dissolve with some of the broth and add it back into the cooking pot.

• Add your Maggi cubes and salt to taste.

Ehre seeds

• Once the yam is tender, add the washed scent leaves and allow it to cook until you percieve the aroma for about 2-3 minutes. Allow the herb infuse into the broth.

Here, your ukodo is hot and ready to be served. You don't need a special occasion to prepare ukodo. Like I said earlier it is good for cold weather and also perfect for women who just got put to bed. It is so easy and straightforward to make with no unnecessary stress.

How about making some for yourself this weekend. They say Deltans make the best wives because we understand that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Don't argue with me o, federal government is owing me.

Until I come your way again with another wonderful Urhobo/isoko delicacy,

I remain yours truly
@zizymena