There’s also Coconut Rice though, in picture, you won’t be able to differentiate it from plain steamed rice.
Types of Rice
Converted. Parboiled. Jasmine. Basmati. Whole (Brown). Long Grain. Medium Grain. Short Grain. Wild Rice. Japanese Sushi Rice. Calrose Rice. Nigerian Ofada Rice.
Know any other types of Rice? Add in the comments.
Any which way you like your Rice, cook and enjoy it with some creativity. Try pairing Calrose and Ofada or Parboil and Converted. It gives a different taste. Enjoy your Rice your way with sone vegetables or by garnishing it with chopped onions and a tablespoon of oil.
Akara, like other foods, can be simply or richly prepared. The simple and plain is to merely add salt (or Maggi) to the ground beans. While you can add as much optional ingredients as you like to make it rich. However adding too much ingredients could impact the Akara from gelling and cause it to crumble in the hot oil.
Best eaten alone, with porridge (ogi), or with bread slices.
The Yellow Plantain, from the family of bananas, can be fried or boiled. Some like the plantain really ripe and soft; others like it just right and fresh. Some also like it fried till it’s deep brown in color, while others prefer that it maintains its yellow color.
Fried Yellow Plantain can be eaten alone or paired with rice or beans. “It is made in different ways: salted or unsalted, cut into “ears”, “fingers”, can be diced, or fried whole.”
I couldn’t help taking a photo of this outdoor aquarium that I saw while on my walk the other day.
The walk was around a more residential neighborhood and a change from my usual route. I got to a path that I had to wait on the side, in adhering to the safe distancing, to allow an elderly man to pass by. We exchanged pleasantries and he asked “have you seen the fishes?” I was puzzled. The area is not my neighborhood so I didn’t understand what he meant. But I responded “no, what fishes?” He, rather than walk past me, then moved to the left and pointed. So I walked closer, still maintaining the six-feet distancing rule, to look at what he was pointing at. I was blown. “Wow,” I exclaimed. “Beautiful. Thanks for showing it to me.” He also told me that “they just added more.” Referring to the owners adding more fishes to the aquarium. We spent a few minutes together watching and chatting before continuing our separate walks but we never saw the owners/residents of the home. They probably entertain numerous visitors and chats daily and don’t come out any more when people/walkers stop to admire their aquarium. They also could have been away. As for me, I was glad that I
walked a different path that day
met a stranger who shared with me
found a beautiful outdoor aquarium. I’ve seen a variety of indoor aquariums but never an outdoor
took a photo to add to my collection and WordPress images.
I hope you find both the aquarium and photo beautiful as I did. If not, it’s okay. I love them both. 😍
Be inspired to:
Do something different; from your normal routine, today
The above pictures show cooked Beans in its whole form, cooked with corn, mashed, ground and steamed, and ground and fried.
. . .
Beans come in a variety of types. It has been stated that, globally, there are 40,000 types of beans. The most common ones in the U.S. include:
Red (Kidney) beans
Black-eyed beans
Black beans
Orange beans
Pinto beans
Lentils.
Black-eyed peas was used to cook the above. Orange beans can also be used.
. . .
Beans is a staple in some countries around the world. It is rich in nutrients such as protein, iron, folic acid, thiamin, and calcium. It is also highly recommended as dietary additions for its health benefits in controlling diabetes, heart, cancer, and in weight management.
Jute leaves is common amongst Asians and Africans. The Philippines call it Saluyot. You can buy them fresh or frozen from local ethnic grocery stores. The fresh leaves need to be removed off the stems and thoroughly rinsed before cooking. The frozen ones are ready to cook.
CookingInstructions
Rinse the frozen Jute Leaves with cold water
Pour in a blender (use Pulse or Chop options if your blender has it).
Swiftly blend (prolonged blending will smoothen the leaves)
Pour in a small pot (1-1.75 qt)
Add salt
Add a cup of water
Using low heat, cook for about 5 minutes. (medium to high heat will let the Jute Leaves overflow.)
Stir occasionally still to avoid overspilling.
When cooked, it has a texture similar to okra and it’s rich in minerals and nutrients such as beta carotene, iron, vitamin A, C, and E. You can cook it plain or garnish with dried fish or dried crayfish 😊
Though different ethnicities cook it differently, Nigerians eat it best with any of the Nigerian solids such as Eba, Amala, Semolina, or Pounded Yam. A few have been known to eat it with cooked Rice.
Add lobster into saucepan, add water, teaspoon of salt and bring to boil.
Once boiled, remove from hot water and set aside to cool down
Once cooled down, de-shell, cut into bits, and set aside.
. . .
Get a frying pan; slice the Andouille sausages into it and sauté. Set aside.
De-shell and devein shrimps; set aside
Rinse the crabs and set aside
. . .
Get your pot (a big pot is preferred; 16-24 qt is better)
Add 8 cus of water and 4 cups of chicken broth (if using); ratio of 2:1, into the pot. (If not using chicken broth, add more water (10 – 12 cups).)
Add a spoonful of salt
Add 2-4 prawns stock cubes
Let boil for about five minutes
While boiling, get the gumbo base ready.
Pour it in a small saucepan, add 2 cups of water, and gently stir till smooth.
. . .
Add the seafood (lobster, crab, shrimps, and sausages) into the boiled water
Add the gumbo base “sauce” unto pot; stirring occasionally
Allow to boil together for about 5 – 8 minutes.
Gumbo is ready. Gumbo is an American Southern / Creole soup. Best alone or over cooked rice. (p.s. this was made for 2020 Christmas. I forgot to take the photograph of the finished product; only remembered when it was almost devoured hence the featured image of the served portion! 😊 😞)
As the name implies, this sauce is fried with little or no water added. Any water added is allowed to dry out while cooking to maintain its potency.
Ingredients
My Sauce
Oil (your choice of palm, olive, vegetable, corn, etc.)
Maggi (or any bouillon) cube
Tomato Paste
Onion
Salt
Cooking Instructions
Pour My Sauce into a small pot
Slice (or cube) 1/3 of a small onion
Add a teaspoon of tomato paste
Add salt and/or 1 Maggi (or Knorr) cube to desired taste
Cook over low heat till sauce thickens and there’s no longer any water
Add the a 1/2 – 1 cup of oil
Let simmer for about 3 minutes.
Sauce is ready.
The sauce lasts you for a while because a little of it goes a long way. Use as a dip with bread/rolls, great especially over beans and or fried plantain. Or mix with your desired choice of meat over rice.
I’ve been cooking people but haven’t posted any recipe lately! Today I’m sharing a few 😍 Enjoy!
. . .
Egusi Stew on Tik Tok!
There has been a rave, on Tik Tok, of folks eating and/or trying Egusi Stew for the first time; thus popularizing the West African/Nigerian, delicacy. These foodies’ actions, videotaping and sharing on the Tik Tok app, are commendable as Egusi Stew has now gained more recognition within the past month than it ever did since its invention! Here are couple of the videos:
🤣🤣🤣 Folks ain’t no need “smacking” the fufu! Chewing or swallowing is also a choice. Some swallow when eating the solids with Okra or the Ogbono that the guy got because it’s slimy, it slides down your throat easily; else, it’s always better to chew.
Is’t a Stew or Soup?
Credits: Dictionary.con
You drink soup in its liquid form, but stew is not drinkable. Stew has to be eaten with a complementary food.
Egusi, is a Stew (I wonder why some still refer to it as a soup) and one of my “specials” to make. I share it with you today.
Egusi stew is nutritious and highly rich in protein and iron.
There are a variety of ways to cook Egusi. It can be cooked minimally or richly with variety of ingredients as you want. It can also be a vegan or vegetarian meal – that’s why most of the ingredients are optional. It can also be cooked in a watery or waterless (or using minimal water) form.
Cooking Instructions
Over medium heat, pour My Sauce into a small-medium saucepan
Add your choice of oil
Slice (or cube) 1/6th of the onion into it
Add a teaspoon of salt and a cube of the Knorr or Maggi (add another cube later if necessary or desired for taste)
Add 1-1 1/2 cups of water
Add the ground egusi (1-1/2 cups)
If using, add the optional items except the leaf vegetable
Prep the leaf vegetable; cut (optional), rinse, place in a bowl, add salt, and hot water. Place aside. [If using the green spinach, leave in the hot water for only couple of minutes. Other greens require much longer time.]
Allow to cook for about 10 minutes.
Reduce heat
Strain the leaf vegetable and add to the pot
Let cook for another minute uncovered (this allows the leaf veggie to retain its green color 😊).
Courtesy: UNMIS – clockwise from left to right – Semolina, Farina, Egusi Stew, Amala, Eba
Appreciation
I appreciate the resources from Wikipedia. I couldn’t have explained the ingredients any better. Please support the website with a donation or by contributing to their wiki. Thanks.
1 bunch Red Spinach (Can substitute with 2 bunches of Green Spinach)
My Sauce
Oil (prefer Palm, but can use any)
Tomato Paste
Onion
Salt
Optional Ingredients:
Ground Crayfish
Fresh Shrimp
Tripe (Boiled and cubed)
Dried Fish or Stock Fish
Beef Stock (Knorr or Maggi)
Italian Seasoning
Cooking Instructions:
Get the Red Spinach off its stems.
Cut and pour in a saucepan
Add a tablespoon of salt
Boil a kettle of water and pour over the red spinach
Place aside for 5 minutes
Pour out the hot (now warm) water. (The water will be dark pink in color)
Rinse the red spinach with cold water a few times until water is almost clear.
Using a sieve, pour out the water and collect the red spinach onto the sieve
Squeeze out any remaining water and set aside.
Steamed Red Spinach
Place your cooking pot on medium heat
Add the Palm Oil
Slice a 1/4 of the Onion
Add My Sauce
Add a teaspoon of Tomato Paste
Add a teaspoon of salt
(Add other optional ingredients as desired)
Cook for 10 minutes
Add the Red Spinach
Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Not too long ad spinach will begin to turn dark.
Your Efo Riro is ready.
Can be eaten alone as a side plate, small chop, or over Rice (Steamed, Jolof, or Fried), or better yet with okele (“solids” eaten with your hands; such as Pounded Yam, Farina, Fufu, Semolina, or Eba (cassava).
Efo Riro w/ Farina
. . .
Everyone is familiar with the Green Spinach, but Red Spinach is rare and can be found in Asian grocery stores. It is similar in texture and taste as the Nigerian Efo Shoko.
HealthBenefits:
Red Spinach is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium and folic acid. [Credits to Specialty Produce]
Red Spinach contains nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, amarantin, purine, rutin, and vitamin (A,B,C,K). For further information, click here for the complete nutrients. Other benefits for comparison can be found here.
Egg Avocado Sandwich with Turmeric Tea by Think-Talk
“Mom, you should start eating avocado because of its anti-inflammatory benefits,” my older daughter recently said to me. She made the recommendation because my scalp and skin suddenly started flaring due to extreme dryness. She also recommended other anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and berries. She’s not a health professional, but a professional in her own health and wellness, and would readily share her knowledge with family and friends.
I took her advice and have noticed some changes. My scalp had gotten better and the flaring have reduced significantly. I now eat and add avocado to everything!
Thank goodness for daughters! 🙏🏾
. . .
Going back to my simple Egg Avocado Sandwich recipe.
Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/4 or 1/3 Avocado (depending on size)
6-ft Bread Roll
Instructions:
Boil the eggs for 10-15 minutes. Time depends on whether you want your eggs over-easy, over-medium, or hard-boiled. (To boil, place eggs in a small pot, add water to slightly cover the eggs, and place on slow to medium heat.)
Once boiled, empty the hot water from pot, and run cold water over eggs. This helps the eggs peel easily.
Peel the shells off the eggs
Slice the bread roll in two
Slice the avocado and place on one half of the bread
Slice and place the eggs on the other half of the bread
Close both halves together as a sandwich.
Enjoy with a hot or cold Turmeric tea. Can also be eaten for lunch or light dinner.
This is a quick and simple egg breakfast which is Protein and Vitamin D nourishing for your soul. Click here https://bit.ly/3enqsh2, https://bit.ly/3iUWaGa for more nutritional information for avocado and eggs.
Ingredients:
Picture Credits: Pexels
3 Eggs
1/2 Avocado
1/6 Onions (Optional)
1/4 Tomato (Optional)
Butter
Oil – your choice (Optional)
Salt
The above ingredient serves 1 person.
Other items, such as baby spinach, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, can also be added to your omelette ingredients.
Cooking Instructions:
Break the eggs in a bowl and whip
Add a dash of salt
Optional: Chop the onions and tomato
Slice the butter (if block & hard) or scoop (a tablespoon if soft) and toss in the frying pan. Let melt over medium heat
Pour the eggs in the frying pan
Lift the eggs all around till almost cooked
Slice the avocado into the egg
Turn heat to low
Either fold (twice as in flipping) or roll the eggs from one edge to the other.
Avocado Omelette is ready to eat. Pair with toasted wheat bread, homemade potatoes, on enjoy by itself with a refreshing homemade Turmeric Ginger Tea.
Curry is an Indian favorite that has now become one of my family’s as well. We love curry; Curry chicken, curry beef, curry spinach, and curry rice (with or without shrimp). We also add curry to spice up our sauces and other foods.
Totally nutritious (protein-rich, iron, Vitamin A, C, and fiber) vegan dish that can be enjoyed anytime of day a la carte or paired with rice, fried plantain, or bread.
Whole Tilipia fish (any fish can also be used), Best if fish is sliced in two.
Red onions (medium size)
Herbs (Parsley, Basil, Thyme)
Ginger (optional)
Green Bell Pepper (medium size)
Olive oil
Salt
Cooking instructions
Blend the herbs, green bell pepper and half the onion, with or without the ginger. Note: do not add water to blend; add olive oil instead.
Season the fish with the spices (salt and thyme only).
Place fish in large pan.
Pour (or rub) the blended herbs over the fish.
If fish is sliced in two, pour (or rub) each half-part of fish as well.
Slice half of the onion over the fish.
Place fish pan over medium heat stove. Cover. (Fish can also be baked.)
Cook for 5 – 10 minutes on both sides. Cooking time depends on how green you prefer the sauce, including how done you like your fish. The longer the time, the darker the sauce becomes.
Enjoy by itself, or with rice, potatoes, or greens.
ThinkTalk 
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