Читать книгу Hibiscus: Discover Fresh Flavours from West Africa with the Observer Rising Star of Food 2017 - Lope Ariyo - Страница 9

HERBS AND SPICES

1. CAYENNE PEPPER

2. EFIRIN

3. EGUSI SEEDS

4. DRIED BIRDSEYE CHILLIES

5. DRIED OREGANO

6. CLOVES

7. COCONUT FLAKES

8. HIBISCUS

9. PAPRIKA

10. BAOBAB

11. PEPPERCORNS

12. NUTMEG

13. DRIED BAY LEAVES

14. CUMIN SEEDS

15. CASSAVA FLOUR

16. CHILLI FLAKES

17. FINE-CUT DRIED HIBISCUS

18. DRIED THYME

19. CINNAMON

20. GARLIC GRANULES

21. UDA

22. GARLIC

23. GROUND GINGER

24. GROUND TURMERIC

25. CELERY SALT

CAROB

MORINGA

PALM JUICE, WINE AND VINEGAR

RED PALM OIL

KOLA NUTS

GARRI

BEAN FLOUR

ATAMA

CAYENNE PEPPER is used a lot in Nigerian cooking – usually dried whole peppers rather than its powdered form. Nigerian dishes are more likely to be seasoned with cayenne pepper than black pepper because of Nigerian fondness for spice.

EFIRIN, also known as clove basil, is a herb with waxy, jagged leaves. It is primarily used to flavour soups in Nigeria, although it’s so versatile that I use it in all sorts of dishes. Common basil is a good substitute.

EGUSI SEEDS are found inside gourds such as pumpkins and melons. They’re like very flat blanched almonds in appearance, and emit a nutty aroma when toasted. Generally, they’re ground and used to thicken soups and stews.

HIBISCUS is a purplish-red flower with a zesty cranberry flavour. The petals are often dried, so it can be enjoyed all year round. It’s an incredibly versatile ingredient and can be used in savoury dishes with meats and in sweet recipes, too.

BAOBAB trees produce pods, in which you will find the fruit – cubes that look like fluffy, white marshmallows. In Nigeria, the fruit is snacked on because of its refreshing taste. For export, it’s generally dried and processed to a nutrient-packed powder that can be found in health stores. The leaves of the baobab tree are also used for adding flavour to soups and stews.

UDA, also called Selim pepper, is native to West Africa and is often used in stews and soups. It looks like a vanilla pod, only with a thicker exterior, and the berries inside are chestnut brown with a fragrant, lemony-wood scent. They’re used in the marinade for a popular Nigerian street food, suya.

CAROB, or locust bean, is a tropical pod containing a sweet pulp that is dried and ground to a chocolatey brown powder.

MORINGA is a tree widely cultivated in northern Nigeria, where its leaves are primarily eaten in soups. Its powdered form is a vivid green colour not dissimilar from matcha powder. It has a sharp taste with nutty accents.

PALM JUICE, WINE AND VINEGAR are made from palm tree sap. Upon extraction, it is a naturally sweet juice. Within a few hours, it ferments and turns to wine with a low alcohol content. Left much longer, it turns to palm vinegar.

RED PALM OIL has a unique sweet flavour with mild hints of carrot and is a similar consistency to coconut oil. In West Africa it is harvested sustainably and used in its raw form. Try to find brands that responsibly source their palm oil. If you can’t find palm oil, you can cook with any other oil but the flavour and colour won’t be the same – I’ve pointed out when really only palm oil will do!

KOLA NUTS are the main flavouring in a certain popular soft drink. The reddish-brown nut is high in caffeine and generally tastes bitter, so is often mixed with sugar. In Igbo culture, they are usually eaten whole and offered as a sign of hospitality.

GARRI is cassava that has been completely dried in the sun and shredded down to breadcrumb size. It is used to make Eba or is soaked in water and eaten like breakfast cereal with a sprinkling of sugar.

BEAN FLOUR is most commonly made from brown honey beans in Nigeria. They’re de-hulled, dried and milled, and the resulting off-white flour is typically used to make Moin Moin, a steamed bean cake, and Akara, bean fritters.

ATAMA is a herb with a liquorice-like scent, very similar to tarragon, which can be used as a substitute, although its leaves are much wider – more like those of the bay tree. It can be used dried or fresh, but the former has a much more intense flavour.