Walnut, Cooking Bananas and Potage
I've had some visitors over from Nigeria who have brought me some edible things that are very Nigerian, some of which I hadn't seen/eaten since I was a little chap. Some of these things may exist outside the continent, especially in parts of the world I have never been, but they are not very popular or are non-existent in Europe and North America as far as I can see. The second item is well known in South America and Asia, as well as by people in North America and Europe that have come in contact with them in those "exotic" stores.
Awusa/Asala
Of the 3 items, this one is the most Nigerian. I don't even know what the correct name is in English, if it exists, or Latin Binomial Nomenclature. It's erroneously referred to as "walnut" in Nigeria. As you can see, it is most definitely not a walnut of any kind.
It is, however, a nut. I have no idea what the fruit looks like, of it it is used for anything. I am sure it is used for something since almost nothing goes to waste when it comes to things like this in Africa, but I've just never seen it. The thought had never even occurred to me until now :)
It is seasonal, so it comes out with some other popular nuts like the palm kernel nuts, and are very popularly consumed with roasted corn as alluded to in this post. Notice @mattsanthonyit also calls it 'walnut' in the response to my comment, even though it isn't :)
It's got a peculiar taste that you either love a hate. I can't compare it to anything else I've ever eaten before to be honest. It just has it's own unique taste. The hard shell has to be washed and cracked open to reach the good stuff. I'd normally eat about five of these before having enough. When I was a kid, I'd put about twenty of them away easily.
When in season, you can find them in most local markets in Nigeria (and possibly other west African countries). They are also sold by street hawkers who package them in easy bunches of 10 or 20 (unfortunately) in plastic bags.
I am not aware of any value-added products made from them, like is the case with palm nuts, but I'm quite sure there are traditional remedies derived from them. They just have that "natural healing" and "superfood" vibe to them.
Pakere/Ipekere
Everybody know what these are. They are plantain chips. They are made by frying plantains to a crisp, rather than the soft version consumed as part of a hot meal for example. They are popular all over Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. There is a subtle difference with these particular Nigerian ones though.
Usually, plantain chips are made by frying green (unripe) plantains. Frying those in very hot oil, and slicing them very thin, is how the crispy result is achieved. However, with these ones, ripe plantains are used, and they are sliced medium sized just like the ones consumed soft and hot. How they achieve the crispy result is a mystery to me. Perhaps it's the temperature of the oil, who knows 🤷🏾♂️
The overall effect is that they taste just like the soft-fried ones with all the original flavour, but they're crispy.
Asaro/Ebe
The ingredients for this one can be found everywhere, but the actual meal is one that I've never seen anywhere else. It's a kind of potage made mainly of Yam. I sort of know how to make this stuff, but I can never get it right. It's commonly referred to as "yam potage" or "yam porridge" in English, but those are approximations for lack of a better expression in English.
The consistency of the mushy part is like mashed potatoes, but with small clumps of yam left. It's also common to add a host of other condiments to it, which can be compared to toppings on pizza for example. This particular one had fish, onions, bell pepper and some other stuff I don't know - I didn't make it.
To give it the quintessential Nigerian taste, some palm oil was also mixed in. This meal is so delicious and is very easy to overeat.
Question /
Do you have any of these edibles in your country? I know plantains are found all over the world, but I'm particularly curious if anybody recognises Awusa (or Asala) and if so, what do you call it in your country?
Peace & Love,
Adé