OUTSIDE FOOD.

Hello everyone

I am privileged to be among those participating in the weekend contest for the first time, and I will be going for the topic

OUTSIDE FOOD

Cooking is the process of preparing food through heating. Most of us has our different ways of cooking and a suitable place for cooking. For me, I prefer engaging in outdoor cooking. Especially on fire.

My worst outdoor cooking experience.

Just yesterday being the 8th of April 2022, I had my worst outdoor cooking experience. This took place in my house in Abuja when I tried preparing ogbono soup also known as draw soup for my family. Ogbono soup should take at most 1 hour 30 minutes to be fully cooked. That is from the steaming of meats, down to completion. But in this case, it didn't work out fine for me because the skin of cow which I bought was really hard. At this moment, I had no option than to set up fire outside, put the meat (cow skin) In the pot and sliced onions to it. I placed the pot on the fire and started cooking it, Instead of steaming. Note, steaming of meats should be at most 20 minutes but I ended up boiling the cow skin for 2 hours plus in order for it to get soft and ready for cooking. 2 hours plus is enough to complete my ogbono soup, eat and relax but for this whole long period, I was busy cooking just the meat (cow skin), blowing up the fire, starving and waiting for the meat to be ready so as to commence cooking. The experience was not funny at all. Below is the picture of the meat ready to be placed on fire.

Usually, within 45 minutes or latest one hour, ogbono soup should be ready for consumption after the steaming of the meat. But it wasn't just so, for this particular cooking because of the hardness of the meat. As we can see from the picture, I added much water in order to allow it boil for a long period of time. The more the water dry up, the more water I put. After a period of 2 hours, 20 minutes on hot fire, I noticed the meat was now soft and ready for the ogbono soup. At this point, I added my dry fish and seasonings to bring out the taste and allowed to boil for just 4 minutes. I Set aside the seasoned steamed meat and fish. Ready to cook my ogbono soup.

Ingredients for making ogbono soup

• The meat
• Dry fish
• Crayfish
• Ogbono
• Pepper
• Onions
• Seasoning cubes
• Palm oil
• Hot leaf and pumpkin leaf.

Steps on how to prepare ogbono soup.

• Heat up the palm oil on the fire and pour the chopped onions and fry until the onions becomes light but not brownish. Add the ogbono to the oil and stir for about 3 minutes till it dissolves.
• Add the steamed meat, dry fish and allow to boil for 10 minutes. You can add more water if the soup is too thick. Keep adding water till it gets to your choice.
• Add in the crayfish, and grounded pepper, stir and allow to boil for about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Taste for salt and other spices, if it's enough, then add your hot leaf and pumpkin leaf. Cover the pot and Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Please always cook your vegetables half done.
• Since the food is being cooked on the fire, bring down the food from the fire and your ogbono soup is ready.

Ogbono soup can be eaten with semolina, wheat, pounded yam, fufu and Eba. For me, I prefer eating my ogbono soup with Eba.

Ogbono soup and Eba is ready.