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My Kitchen Today: African Salad( Abacha)


The Abacha is a by product of cassava, it is gotten after cassava has been soaked, dried and shredded. It is widely consumed by the igbo's of Nigeria. It is popularly referred to as African Salad and is sometimes used as  Desserts for entertaining visitors.
I love this particular meal with a creamy drink, it reminds me of my root.  Below contains the ingredients and procedures involve in preparing this meal anywhere in the world. oh how my stomach rumbles at the sound of it😋😋...

   *INGREDIENTS* (For a family of four)
. 7 cups of Abacha
.  4 table spoon of Chilli Pepper or any grinded hot pepper for taste
.2 seed of Ehuru( Calabash nutmeg used in pepper-soup) for taste and good smell, it is  optional but I love it
. 2 bulbs of Onion( 1 for cooking and the other for  topping)
. 1 piece of potash( Akaun) to soften the Abacha
. 90ml of palm oil
.  2 seasoning cubes 
. 2 cups of ugba/ Upaka
. Crayfish
. Fried fish/ meats/ ponmo
. Okporoko( stock fish) optional but will be used
. Sliced  Utaisi leaf and garden egg leaf( optional) alternatively fresh garden eggs and boiled eggs can be used.

*Note: This meal requires a lot of palm oil, the oil will serve as the water too.
The garden eggs, boiled eggs, Utaisi leaves and garden egg leaves are not to be used in cooking  but for decoration when the meal is dished.

PROCEDURES (Before cooking)
. Add the potash(Akaun) to half a cup of water then add the residue to the Abacha
.Add hot  water to the dried Abacha and cover for like 15 mins then filter the Abacha into a spacious container
. Add hot water too to the stock fish( Okporoko)to soften it
. Grind the onions, crayfish and Ehuru( Calabash nutmeg) and set aside( the Ehuru can be grinded by pounding on a dry mortar)
. Wash the Ugba/ Upaka and set aside
. Slice the remaining onions and set aside
. Wash, boil and Fry the meat, fish and ponmo if not fried
*MAIN PROCESS*
. Bleach the palm oil until it turns yellow
. Add the grinded pepper, onion, crayfish and Ehuru then stir
. You can add the ponmo, fish and meat for some minutes then remove, this is  to make it more tasty 
. Add the Ugba to the mixture and stir
. Add salt, the seasoning cube and stir
. Add the Abacha and Okporoko the same time then stir the whole mixture together, turn off the gas after 3 to 5 minutes ( The Abacha is not expected to be under heat for long)
Note also:  The ingredients and procedures can be adjusted to your taste or health condition.
For instance Asthmatic persons should  avoid bleaching the oil and can also get fried fish, meat or ponmo rather than frying it themselves
    *THE TOPPING*
Spread the sliced leaves ( garden egg and Utaisi) on the centre or on one side of the dished food,  surround the remaining part with  the fried meat, fish and ponmo.
The sliced onion can be spread evenly.
   Abacha can be taken with any  soft drink of your choice. I bet you  will try this .😛😋Bon Appetite

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