10 Nigerian Foods The Whole World Should Know And Love

1. Jollof rice

Jollof's base ingredient is always rice, and "TOP" (tomato,onion and pepper) plus scotch bonnets. It's customizable according to your preference: make it hotter than the sun, or as mild as a European's palette. Add mixed vegetables if you want (please don't). Best enjoyed with piping hot dodo  and a cold Super malt.. It is one of the most suitable food used for African occasions around the world.

2. Akara

This is the deep fried bean cake. These delicious protein-packed fritters are light, making them ideal for breakfast (as a side with ogi, perhaps). Most people use peeled brown beans, ground and blended with onions and spices, and fry in vegetable oil. They taste amazing when eaten with bread. We will post on how to prepare such recipie very soon. Akara can also be served with dipping sauce.

3. Bean and plantain pottage

Nigerians love a pottage, and they are most commonly made with yams (Nigeria is one of the top producers of yam in the world). This variation balances the nuttiness of brown beans with the natural sweetness of plantains, and the palm oil adds a rich smoky taste to it.

4. Suya

Suya is widely considered to be a specialty of the Hausa people of northern Nigeria and Niger. The key to excellent suya is the spice mix (yaji) it is steeped in before grilling, and the Mallams will never share their recipes. The joy of suya is finding the best spots in your state. Honestly, come to 9ja and try the product!!! Dont worry the recipie will be out soon.

5. Zobo

It's tangy and sweet and inherently customisable – you can add fruits of your choice, like a non-alcoholic Pimm's: cloves, sparkling water or lemonade, and even chilli. On a hot day, there's nothing like a tall glass of zobo

6. Moin moin

A (vegan!) dish made of peeled Nigerian brown beans ground together with onions, bell pepper, palm oil and spices, and steamed in banana leaves (or other vessels). You can add any combination of extra bits to it: flaked fish, slices of hard boiled eggs, ground beef...

7. Edikangikong

Essentially, a "dry" leafy vegetable soup from the Cross River region of Nigeria. The (iron-rich) greens are a mixture of ugwu (a fluted pumpkin leaf) and gbure (waterleaf). In places where these leaves are unavailable, people substitute spinach. People also use a mix of meats and fish, and for authenticity, periwinkles.

8. Dodo

Pronounced "doh-doh", these are deep fried plantains (not bananas), cut in slim diagonal slices, circles or cubes (colloquially known as "party dodo") and deep-dried. Some people like to sprinkle some salt on before frying, but that's down to personal taste. It's a snack, a side dish, a main meal, a blessing. You don't really need a recipe for this: just peel, chop and fry.

9. Ogbono (or apon)

It has a "draw" feature, that wonderful slippery texture that helps the fufu go down easier. There are many variations on it, too: cooked alone, with vegetables, with or without meat or fish, with okra, or even with added melon seeds (egusi). 

10. Deep-fried battered yams

It's carb-tacular goodness. Akara, boli (roasted plantains) and dundun (deep-fried yams) are classic (and delicious) street foods, but a combination of all three? Why not, yes please. Serve with chilli sauce, or a quick pepper stew.