The African salad(Abacha) is a very common Igbo food that is enjoyed by all ethnic groups in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, many of us lose all our concentration once this food is sighted. Its rich and delicious taste will leave you in ecstasy, no wonder the Yoruba’s seem to love this dish more than others. Yet the question that arises to the mind, “do you know how to prepare this dish?”. If your favorite food vendor fails to deliver, will you cry and eat indomie or will you go into the kitchen and make it by yourself? To avoid sad tears, read on and learn how to prepare your favorite abacha.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients stated below make for 5 servings.
- 300g of abacha (dried shredded cassava)
- 100g of Ugba
- 1 tsp of ground ehuru (optional)
- Chilli pepper to taste
- 1 seasoning cube
- 1 large onion (or 2 small ones)
- 200ml palm oil
- 2 tbsp of ground crayfish
- 1 tsp of ground potash
- Salt to taste
- Ogiri
- Fresh fish
- 1 tbsp of finely chopped utazi leaves (finely chopped spinach or garden egg leaves can be used in its stead)
- Boiled stock fish
- Kanda/Kpomo (cow skin).
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Procedure
Before preparation
- The first step is to cut into tiny bits, wash, season and cook the kpomo. Cut the fresh fish, wash and fry. Shred boiled stock fish and set aside.
- Next you dissolve the ground potash in water and sieve. Set liquid aside. Also rinse the ugba in lukewarm water then set aside to strain. Pour hot water over dry abacha and stir properly, then leave to soak for about a minute or two. You then strain the abacha in a sieve.
- Pound half of large onion and slice the other half into fine rings.
Main preparation
- Into a dry pot, pour palm oil then add the potash liquid and stir together until a change in color from orange to yellow is noticed and the mixture turns into a thick paste.
- The next thing is to add in the ground crayfish, salt, pepper, pound onions, ground ehuru, ogiri and seasoning cube, then mix together thoroughly.
- Place the pot on a low heat and then add earlier strained abacha. Add a little salt if needed. Mix properly and then turn off heat as soon as it is warmed up. NOTE: do not let it stay too long or else it becomes mashy and pottage like.
- At this stage, it can be eaten alone or with an accompaniment but going further, the ugba, chopped utazi leaves, stock fish and kpomo are all added and mixed until well blended.
- The food is ready now. It is finally garnished with sliced onion rings and fried fish. Can be served with cold drink of choice.