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Best Nigerian Foods
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Jollof rice is Nigeria's national dish of Senegambian origin, that can be found in every country of West Africa with some variations in the ingredients. In order to prepare it, rice is cooked in a rich tomato sauce so that it soaks in all the flavors.
The most common ingredients found in jollof rice include rice, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, salt, and pepper. On top of that, any kind of meat, vegetable, fish or spice can be added. It is important to have a delicious sauce, so in addition to tomatoes, there are also ingredients such as coconut milk, nutmeg, partminger (African basil leaf) and sometimes even Roiboos tea used in the sauce.
MOST ICONIC Jollof rice
Believed to have originated among the Hausa people, this popular Nigerian dish employs thin slices of beef or chicken that are generously seasoned, then roasted over open charcoal grills. The essential element in each suya is a dry spice blend known as suya or yaji, which is made with a combination of ground peanuts and red peppers.
The spice blend is versatile, and depending on the region, it may incorporate various additional ingredients. In Nigeria, the skewers are usually sold individually and are mainly enjoyed on the go as a quick, cheap, and nutritious snack. In restaurants, they are often paired with vegetables such as sliced onions or tomatoes.
MOST ICONIC Suya
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Egusi is a flavorful soup or sauce that is popular throughout West and Central Africa (most noteably Nigeria and Central African Republic) consisting of onions, tomatoes, hot chili peppers, and oil. It is traditionally thickened with flour that is made from seeds of gourds, pumpkins, melons, and squashes.
The egusi is typically seasoned with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. When the soup or sauce develops a smooth consistency, it is then usually served with boiled vegetables, rice, or a variety of grilled fish and meat dishes.
Eba or garri is a Nigerian staple food consisting of cassava flour combined with hot water. The combination is traditionally mixed with a large wooden spoon until it firms up, and is then rolled into a ball. Eba is served with almost all Nigerian soups.
It can be dipped into the soups, but it's also often served with stews and various meat dishes.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Moin moin is a Nigerian dish consisting of ground beans or black-eyed peas, onions, oil, and freshly ground peppers such as chili, bell pepper, and Scotch bonnet. The dish is usually served as an accompaniment to jollof rice, fried plantains, and akamu.
It can also be consumed on its own as a snack. Moin moin is so popular that it is regularly served at celebrations and similar special occasions.
The intricately named point and kill is a traditional soup that's served in most restaurants and bars. It's made with a combination of catfish, pepper soup spices, onions, utazi leaves, fish seasoning, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes, paprika, salt, and ground pepper.
The soup is usually prepared in a small pot – the catfish comes first, followed by salt, seasonings, crayfish, pepper, and water. Once done, the soup is usually served as it is or as a side dish. It can be accompanied by boiled plantains, potatoes, or yams.
Kokoro is a crunchy Nigerian snack that is shaped into a stick. It is prepared by combining maize flour paste with sugar and cassava or yam flour. The concoction is rolled on a flat surface or between one's palms in order to get a long stick, which is then fried in palm oil or groundnut oil.
There are two basic versions of kokoro – one is plain, and the other one is spicy, with added chili peppers or chili powder. Ginger can also be used to add extra flavor to kokoro, but it is completely optional. These extremely crunchy snacks can be eaten on their own or with fruit juices and soft drinks on the side.
Miyan kuka is a traditional soup. It's made with a combination of dried and ground baobab leaves as the main ingredient. Although every Nigerian family has their own recipe, other common ingredients used in the preparation of miyan kuka include dried okra, onions, oil, ginger, dried fish, locust beans, hot chili peppers, and seasoning cubes.
The soup is simmered until all the ingredients become tender, and it's then often served with tuwo shinkafa (Nigerian sticky rice balls).
Pèpè soup is a traditional soup with intense aromas, made with njansa nut as the main ingredient. It is also popular in Nigeria and throughout West Africa. A spicy nut known as njansa is the key ingredient in pèpè soup, acting as a thickener and giving the soup its signature flavors.
Other ingredients include meat or fish, garlic, ginger, hot peppers, onions, and water. The soup can be served on its own or it can be paired with yams, rice, and plantains when served as a main dish.
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TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.