Theme: Cultural Cuisine
Tell us about about a specific dish from a particular culture, preferably your own, that gou are familiar with and passionate about. Explain why you selected that particular dish and what is its significance. If you like you can also share its recipe with us.
It is popularly called "Nkwobi", it is spicy, it is yummy and it is my favourite. The sight, the smell and the taste? Oh simply irresistible! It is a very popular eat out meal mostly accompanied with chilled fresh Palm wine ( fresh palm wine is almost alcohol free or for those that do not like any form of alcohol, Amstel Malta), and is made with very tender cow foot in a creamed spicy gravy, paired with onion rings and utazi leaves, and served in a traditional mortar bowl. It can also be prepared in your home so the whole family can enjoy this mouth-watering dish.
Apart from being highly nutritious, nkwobi has many health benefits, and one of them is that it contains iron. Iron is the building block of haemoglobin which transports oxygen to different parts of the body.
It also helps the circulation of blood in the mucous membrane.
This is how I make my "Nkwobi".
Ingredients
1 kg Meat cow foot.
3 stock cubes
Edible potash (one teaspoon)
Utazi leaves(10)
Palm oil 200ml
7 Peppers (Scotch bonnet to make it spicy enough)
Onions – medium size
3 seeds of ehu (calabash nutmeg)
Ground crayfish
Salt to taste.
Method of preparation
De-hoof the cow foot and wash very thoroughly. Then chop into small pieces.
Put into a large pot, add 2 stock cube, half of the onions and salt to taste. Add water and boil until very soft (about 45-60 minutes) and almost dry. Then pour out into a bowl.
Place a separate pot on the cooker and add about 100ml of oil, warm it slightly and then add the edible potash and cover for a few minutes.
Stir the oil and potash vigorously until a thick mash is formed.
Then add the pepper, onions, ehu, all pounded, along with the crayfish and stock cube into the thick mash, stir and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes. Bring down.
Then add the cow foot into the mixture and stir until everything becomes homogeneous.
Then serve hot in mortars and garnish with onion rings and shredded utazi leaves.
And then you dig right into it!!!!!😋
I don't really know why it is served in a mortar (an African carved hollow wood), this is just how it has been for years and I tell you, it all adds to the general appeal and makes it the "Nkwobi" of my delight.
Photo is mine.
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