6 Things to Order off a Nigerian Menu

When it comes to ordering food, there are probably a few types of cuisine that come to your mind first. Chinese and Indian food, for example, are massively popular options with tons of delicious items to offer. However, I’m asking you to step out of the mainstream food ordering box and step into the beautiful world of Nigerian food. This cultural cuisine doesn’t get nearly enough attention, despite all out its rich flavors, spices, textures, and amazing ingredients. So, with this video, I thought we’d give a little love to Nigerian food. I asked my subscribers to help me out by telling me exactly what they would order at a Nigerian restaurant. Here are just a few of their suggestions!

Featuring

Amaka

Folakemi

Zulaikha

1. Asaro (Yam Porridge)

“[Asaro] is typically eaten for breakfast and it’s really savory. And yam sometimes has a sweetness to it and it’s delicious. It was the first dish when I was 15 years old in Nigeria, I learned how to cook. And so it has special memories to me.” – Amaka

2. Suya (Grilled Beef with Northern Yaji Spice)

“Suya is something we enjoy as a family. We only ever get [it] at night and everybody sits in the parlor eating suya and just having so much fun.” – Zulaikha

3. Zobo (Hibiscus Tea)

“What I’m going to be recommending for you to try is a drink called zobo. And it is made of dried hibiscus leaves that have been brewed and then sweetened with sugar. When it’s served cold, oh my goodness, it’s the perfect drink for anything.” – Folakemi

4. Ila Asepo (Okra Soup)

“[Ila asepo or ila alasepo] is made from lady fingers, or okra. Usually swallows are taken with like a soup and a stew. But when you mix those two together to make one big soup, it’s called ‘asepo.’ It literally means ‘mix’ in Yoruba. And it is delicious together with amala.” – Folakemi

5. Amala (Yam Swallow)

“Amala is yam flour. So most times it’s eaten with the hands unless you want to be fancy and take it with, I dunno, fork or spoon. But most times it’s eaten with your hands, ’cause why not?” – Folakemi

6. Buka Sauce (Stew with Assorted Meats)

“The next dish I’m gonna have you try is called buka sauce. Buka sauce is life. That’s all I’m gonna say. Let’s just start there. It’s made with this very deep-flavored, it’s called locust beans. And obviously some type of beef stock or chicken stock.” – Amaka

Thanks to these subscribers, my journey through Nigerian food was certainly a tasty one. But this cuisine has plenty more to offer. In addition to the dishes listed above, I also got tons of other recommendations including: Akara (fried bean cakes), Dundun (yam fries), Nkwobi (cow feat with spices), Fish Pepper Soup (whole fish with thin broth soup), Palava (shredded ewedu leaves), Gbegiri (red beans cooked with locust beans), and Bitter Leaf Soup (bitter leaf and smoked fish sauce with meat). Although I wish I could have tried them all, I’m only one person with one stomach. Do me a favor and try these the next time you’re at a Nigerian restaurant or ordering take-out and let me know what you thought!

Watch the Video

SHARE THE LOVE

6 Things to Order off a Palestinian Menu

Palestine is so much more than what we’ve all been hearing about recently in the news. It is a beautiful culture with an incredibly diverse cuisine. The cultural erasure that is happening in Palestine right now can be fought in many ways, but one of them is through talking about the culture and, of course, talking about the food. With the help of my subscribers of Palestinian descent, I was able to learn more about the beauty of Palestinian culture what this vibrant cuisine is made up of.