My schedule almost caused me to miss this prompt. Being a food lover, missing a prompt like this would leave me with regret. Choosing just one food that would sustains me throughout a lifetime would be a very difficult thing to cope with. Eating just one particular type of food for three days can be a daunting task, let alone eating a particular food for a lifetime.
Regardless, there is still this one special food I love so much that I can't get tired of eating no matter what. Plantain porridge popularly known as "Saika" in the vibrant region of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.
While plantain porridge is beyond just sustenance, my considering this food one for lifetime delves into several reasons. Every spoonful I consume sends an unending joy to my stomach.
There are actually different types of plantain porridge, one is the one cooked like yam porridge, I don't really like that type although it is the type that is very rampant. The very type I love is the one that takes patience to prepare. The plantain is to be sliced in the smallest size by dividing one into equal size and then piece them into a smaller shape of a triangle like.
Source
One reason I love this food is the taste of it. It is one food that gets sweeter the longer it stays. It's not like other food that gets tasteless after it's been warm for three days. The fact that it is very simple to prepare is another reason I love it. Last week, I decided to adopt a new method of preparing this food and it came out nicer and sweeter.
I tried making it with beans, I cooked my beans until tender, added the plantain, followed by ingredients and allowed it to cook for some minutes. I was shocked at the outcome of the result because it was delicious.
Also, it is one of those foods that last hours or longer to prepare. Once the plantain has been peeled and sliced into a smaller shape, the next is to get them into the pot, add the ingredients and add water and place to cook. Within 30 minutes at most, it is ready to take down, garnished with pumpkin leaves to give it a final touch of sweetness.
Also, the nutritional benefit of plantain porridge cannot be overemphasized. Plantains are a rich source of carbohydrates, vitamins and fiber. These nutrients contain energy making it a healthy choice for a lifetime.
In conclusion, plantain porridge, or Saika, is more than just a choice of sustenance; it is also my declaration of my love for the culinary skills, the keen interest I put into learning how to prepare this delicacy was enough to tell my love for it.
It's taste, simplicity, nutritional value, and transformative nature that blend in with what it means to create a culinary masterpiece that resonates with the very essence food means to the soul. In the realm of a singular food choice for a lifetime, plantain porridge emerges.