OKRO. — These are cultivated nearly everywhere, can be
used for soup or as a vegetable, and are indispensable for
palm oil chop. The young pods are best, and can also be
made into a salad.
PUMPKIN (kabewa). — By far the best variety is a
dark green one covered with small raised white patches,
called “ Kurzunu.” It makes a good soup and an excellent
vegetable, either mashed or lightly boiled and then fried.
GAUTA.— A fruit similar in appearance to a small tomato,
but the taste is more like that of an egg plant ; it is
especially good cut in slices and fried.
NATIVE ARTICHOKE (gwaza) — Has large green
lily leaves. The root freshly pulled, cleaned and boiled is
quite good. It must be freshly boiled, not bought cooked
on the market.
TATASSA. — A variety of large pepper which can be
eaten stuffed or as a vegetable.
PEPPERS (berkono). — Are found everywhere ; they
are best fresh and are used instead of ordinary pepper for
cooking. Soaked in sherry they produce an excellent sauce.
Make a good provision of them while they are in season,
dry them, and put them in a well-corked bottle. They
will not be quite so strong as when fresh, but can well
replace ordinary pepper.
SOUR SOUR (yakwa). — The red leaves during the rains
and the berries during the dry season can both be used to
make a refreshing and pleasant drink. A nice jelly can
also be made with the berries.
GINGER (chitta). — Can generally be obtained on the
market. Boiled when fresh it will make quite a good
ginger beer.
24
PINEAPPLES. — The cultivation of these seems to be
slowly extending northward and already good specimens
are grown in Lokoja.
MANGOES. — These grow more especially in the southern
provinces but will soon be found everywhere. They can
be utilized as compote and preserves.
BANANAS (ayaba) — Not very good as a rule and always
over ripe when brought for sale. For their use, see Fritters,
etc.
Plantains are also obtainable on the way up river.
LIMES (lemu). — These are plentiful nearly all the year
and make most delicious lime drinks.
PAW PAW (gwanda). — When ripe (during the dry
season) this is an excellent fruit to be eaten fresh with a
little sugar and lime juice. While still unripe it is invalu-
able as a vegetable, or stewed, etc.
DATES (dabino). — These can be bought, dried, in the
more northern towns. They should be washed, folded in a
wet napkin and kept between two plates for two or three
days, when they will be almost as good as fresh ones.
They are also very nice stewed in milk.
COFFEE. — Good coffee is grown at Onitsha and can be
bought there on the way up river.
NATIVE HONEY (zumma). — At first sight one is apt
to despise native honey as it certainty does not present au
attractive appearance, but once cleared it is as good as any
English honey, and is especially excellent with maize
porridge or cakes, and with pancakes. It cau also be used
to sweeten tea and coffee if sugar is running short.
To clear it, the honey should be strained through a clean
cloth (towel or handkerchief), then boiled and kept boiling
for a good quarter of an hour. It can then be poured out
of the saucepan, leaving the sediment, aud strained once
more into any old glass jar. Well stoppered it will keep
for any length of time.
25
Page 9
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
OKRO. — These are cultivated nearly everywhere, can be used for soup or as a vegetable, and are indispensable for palm oil chop. The young pods are best, and can also be made into a salad.
PUMPKIN (kabewa). — By far the best variety is a dark green one covered with small raised white patches, called “ Kurzunu.” It makes a good soup and an excellent vegetable, either mashed or lightly boiled and then fried.
GAUTA.— A fruit similar in appearance to a small tomato, but the taste is more like that of an egg plant ; it is especially good cut in slices and fried.
NATIVE ARTICHOKE (gwaza) — Has large green lily leaves. The root freshly pulled, cleaned and boiled is quite good. It must be freshly boiled, not bought cooked on the market.
TATASSA. — A variety of large pepper which can be eaten stuffed or as a vegetable.
PEPPERS (berkono). — Are found everywhere ; they are best fresh and are used instead of ordinary pepper for cooking. Soaked in sherry they produce an excellent sauce. Make a good provision of them while they are in season, dry them, and put them in a well-corked bottle. They will not be quite so strong as when fresh, but can well replace ordinary pepper.
SOUR SOUR (yakwa). — The red leaves during the rains and the berries during the dry season can both be used to make a refreshing and pleasant drink. A nice jelly can also be made with the berries.
GINGER (chitta). — Can generally be obtained on the market. Boiled when fresh it will make quite a good ginger beer.
PINEAPPLES. — The cultivation of these seems to be slowly extending northward and already good specimens are grown in Lokoja.
MANGOES. — These grow more especially in the southern provinces but will soon be found everywhere. They can be utilized as compote and preserves.
BANANAS (ayaba) — Not very good as a rule and always over ripe when brought for sale. For their use, see Fritters, etc.
Plantains are also obtainable on the way up river.
LIMES (lemu). — These are plentiful nearly all the year and make most delicious lime drinks.
PAW PAW (gwanda). — When ripe (during the dry season) this is an excellent fruit to be eaten fresh with a little sugar and lime juice. While still unripe it is invaluable as a vegetable, or stewed, etc.
DATES (dabino). — These can be bought, dried, in the more northern towns. They should be washed, folded in a wet napkin and kept between two plates for two or three days, when they will be almost as good as fresh ones. They are also very nice stewed in milk.
COFFEE. — Good coffee is grown at Onitsha and can be bought there on the way up river.
NATIVE HONEY (zumma). — At first sight one is apt to despise native honey as it certainty does not present an attractive appearance, but once cleared it is as good as any English honey, and is especially excellent with maize porridge or cakes, and with pancakes. It can also be used to sweeten tea and coffee if sugar is running short.
To clear it, the honey should be strained through a clean cloth (towel or handkerchief), then boiled and kept boiling for a good quarter of an hour. It can then be poured out of the saucepan, leaving the sediment, and strained once more into any old glass jar. Well stoppered it will keep for any length of time.