African Salad (Abacha)

African salad is a delicious Nigerian meal that is native to the ndi Igbo (people of Igbo). This meal is very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria; it is one of the most Popular Igbo Recipes.Abacha – as the Igbos love to call it, is one of the most popular evening desserts in the eastern villages. The fresh Abacha is a by-product of cassava.Ingredients

• 6 to 8 cups of Abacha (African Salad)
• Ehu 3 seeds (optional)
• 1 to 2 cups Of Ugba (Ukpaka)
• Half cup of crayfish
• 1 to 2 cubes of maggi or knorr
• About 10cl of palm oil
• Edible powdered potash (1 teaspoon)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 to 5 garden eggs (optional)
• Utazi leaves (optional)
• Garden egg leaves (optional)
• Meat/dry fish or stock fish

Notes: Ugba is an important ingredient in the process of making African salad, it is considered incomplete without the presence of this ingredient.The garden eggs, the leaves and the onions are used mostly to spice up or for decoration purposes and not added during preparation but while dishing out.Preparation

1. You can either heat or soak the dry Abacha in boiled water for about three minutes, then sieve and keep in a separate bowl.
2. Blend your crayfish and also slice the onions, garden egg leaves. It is advisable to dissolve the powdered potash in about 5 cl of clean water.
3. Filter the dissolved potash into a mortar or pot leaving out the residue.
4. Add about 10cl of palm oil and stir to form a yellowish paste, add the ground crayfish and pepper, stir, and then add the ground ehu if you like.
5. Add the ugba to the mixture and stir, and then add the abacha and salt. It is advisable to heat the abacha (using the method outlined above) just for a few seconds before you use so it doesn’t get cold, as most people in Nigeria like their Abacha to be a little bit warm.
6. Stir the whole combination and you are almost through with the preparation part.
7. Taste the combination in the mortar or pot, if it is as tasty as you desire, you may also want to turn on the cooker and heat for few minutes if it is not as warm as you desire.
8. Serve with the meat and also add the garden eggs (sliced) and leaves to individual plate.

Get your favourite drink out and enjoy!PHOTO CREDIT: Sisi Jemimah