CHOW MEIN- Chicken Fried Noodles

Chowmein 

Meaning stir fried noddles, its a very common  Chinese dish made with noddles and vegetables.

Ingredients

·         Noodles

·         Boneless chicken preferably chicken breast

·         Garlic cloves 6-7(chopped) or garlic paste

·         Black sauce 1 tsp.

·         Red chili sauce 1 tsp. 

·         Pepper powder: 1 tsp.

·         Spring onions; chopped white part/half onion and Chopped (green part) for garnishing.

·         Carrot 1 thinly sliced

·         Red, yellow and green capsicum thinly sliced

·         Groundnut oil/olive oil 2 to 3 tbsp.

·         Add Salt to desired taste

·         Lime

·         Note: All sauces should have high salt content.

Preparation

·         Cook the noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 3-5 mins, then drain and put them in cold water.

·         Drain thoroughly, toss them with 1 tbsp. of the sesame oil and set aside.

·         Combine the chicken with all the marinade ingredients and ½ tsp salt, mix well and then leave to marinate for about 10 mins.

·         Heat a wok over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp. of the groundnut oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the chicken shreds.

·          Stir-fry for about 2 mins and then transfer to a plate. Wipe the wok clean.

·         Reheat the pot until it is very hot, then add the remaining groundnut oil. When the oil is slightly smoking, add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 secs

·         And stir-fry for about 1 min.

·         Add the noodles, soy sauces, vinegar or Sherry, pepper, sugar, spring onions and 1 tsp salt. Stir-fry for 2 mins.

·         Return the chicken and any juices to the noodle mixture.

·          Stir-fry for another 3-4 mins or until the chicken is cooked. Add 1 tsp sesame oil and give the mixture a few final stirs.

·         Serve immediately.

·         Sprinkle freshly squeezed lime on it if so desired

EGUSI SOUP

ASSORTED EGUSI

Made from melon seeds typical to Nigerians the Igbos and Yorubas.

Ingredients needed:

·         Grounded egusi (melon Seed)

·         Palm oil

·         onions

·         Dry pepper/grounded pepper

·         Different types of assorted meat (chopped into small pieces)

·         Dried smoked fish

·         Note: smoked fish add flavor and taste to this type of soup

·         Iru (optional)

·         Finely chopped leafy vegetable e.g water leave, ugo

·         Bitter leaf

Preparation

There are different ways of preparing egusi depending on individual preference and tribe here 2 ways of preparation

Option 1

·         To prepare mix your egusi in warm water to form a sticky paste

·         Put some palm oil in cooking pan and place on fire to become hot

·         Add iru and grounded pepper, seasoning and salt to taste, fry for some minutes

·         Add in the chopped assorted meat and deboned dry fish

·         Let it cook for some minutes till almost dry

·         Then add your egusi paste into the mix and add some water

·         Add the finely chopped vegetables and bitter leaf

·         Simmer on low heat for 3-5 mins to avoid over cooking of the vegetables

·         Then your Egusi soup is ready to be served

Or

·         Put some water in cooking pan and add your grounded egusi

·         Leave to cook till water is almost dry and thee egusi has cake

·         Add some more water and allow the egusi to cake

·         Repeat the above process for about three times

·         When it has become clumpy add your assorted meat and dried fish

·         Add your ugwu so as to cook as ugwu is a vegetable that takes longer to cook but if you are using another time of vegetable which is otherwise soft you can add it to the mix at a later time

·         Let itt cook for some mins and add dried pepper then oil

·         Leave to simmer for about 5mind

·         Egusi is ready to be served

·         It can be served with different types of swallow, though it is best served with fufu

A Nigerian Food "Abula" Consisting of (Gbegiri, Ewedu and Amala)

GBEGIRI AND EWEDU – ABULA

This is a combination of two soups (ewedu & gbegiri) which is often served with Amala;

Ewedu made from a leafy vegetable. It a sort of soup once cook that draws it typical to the south western part of Nigeria.

Gbegiri also typical to the south western Nigeria is made from peeled beans and palm oil cooked together.

Things required (four serving)

·         1 cup of beans

·         Palm oil- ¼ cup

·         Ewedu leaves-  1 bunch

·         Water

·         Iru

·         Seasoning and Salt

Preparation

First for the gbegiri, put your peeled beans in a pot with water, cook till it’s soft

Whisk/mash the cooked beans

Sieve and add water while sieving to separate the shaft and the paste like product

Put the paste in a pot add water depending on how thick u want it

Add palm oil, salt and seasoning to taste.

Ewedu

Wash the leaves well to be rid of any sand or stones

Finely chop the leaves and Add in pot with water

Cook till very soft add your iru (locust beans)

Add salt and seasoning to taste

Optional:  You can add a littlt bit of egusi to your ewedu while cooking it if you desire.

A Tanzanian Food "Ugali"

UGALI

A Tanzania dish made from maize, millet or sorghum and served with vegetable soup

Preparation time: 3-5min depending on quantity

Ingredients:

 maize or corn flour, water, pots

Preparation

Pour the grounded maize or corn flour into boiling water keep on fire and keep stirring to thickness.

when you have attained desired thickness serve with your desired soup.

Health benefit

Vegetables soup- Provides vitamin to the body which improves sight

Ugali which is a carbohydrate source will provide energy to the body