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What is Wrong With Packaged Foods?

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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What is Wrong With Packaged Foods?
packaged foods
image source: fecofoods (for illustrative purposes only)

Should we really have something or anything at all against canned foods? You must have heard one time or another that canned foods are extremely bad for your health. How true is this? Are canned foods worth avoiding entirely?

True, you may prefer the taste of fresh foods. But you don’t have to avoid packaged foods entirely out of fear of sodium, chemical preservatives, and other additives used in processing. Many people, in their yearning for all things natural, have come to distrust anything chemical. But it’s worth reminding ourselves that some of the chemicals that are used in food may prevent food spoilage and improve flavor and texture.

As for fear of sodium—yes, for some people, there are medical reasons to limit sodium intake. Unless you have a medical condition where a low-sodium diet might be a necessity for you, there is no reason to avoid sodium. It’s simply a nonissue as far as fat loss is concerned.

Another misconception is the often repeated mantra that canning, packaging, and freezing remover essential nutrients from food. Where canning and packaging are concerned, a very small amount of nutrients is lost in the process, not enough to keep you from using processed foods.

As for the freezing process, keep in mind that frozen food is usually of the highest quality. When you buy frozen fruits, vegetables, or fish, you’re getting food that has been frozen at the peak of freshness. You lose nothing, nutrition-wise, when you eat frozen foods, and you gain all the advantages of variety, taste, and convenience.

Let’s consider a couple of examples. A can of beans offers a wonderful source of protein along with such nutrients as folate, fiber, magnesium, iron, copper, and potassium. When you open a can of beans, you get all those advantages without having to go to the bother of soaking and cooking raw beans to make them edible.

In fact, the technologies for preserving food have brought enormous benefits. For the first time in history, wherever we live, we can enjoy fruits and vegetables all year round. We can buy a supply of groceries that will last for days and some will stay good for weeks or months. We can cook up a whole meal just by boiling water or popping a frozen dinner in the microwave or oven.

For anyone making low-calorie choices over a lifetime, the variety and convenience of preserved foods can make a big difference in preventing boredom. And when you prevent boredom, you ensure that you don’t end up with that deprived feeling.

In summary, packaged foods are not the devil like you may believe. Don’t entirely avoid them, you can eat and enjoy them without guilt and without worry.

Popular Nigerian Street Drinks

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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Popular Nigerian Street Drinks
Nigerian Street Drinks
image source: dream africa

These are our go-to locally made juices. They are easy to come across as well as easy on the pockets. They are nutritious and delicious also. Here’s a list of our top six:

Kunu

Kunu
image source: nonyspecial

Kunu, also known as Kunu Zaki, is a non-alcoholic Nigerian beverage made of germinated grain known as millet. This drink is popular in Northern Nigeria and prepared mostly by the Hausas. The key ingredient used in preparing kunu, millet, is very nutritious and beneficial to human health, thus making kunu a very nutritional drink.

Palmwine

Palm wine
image soure: nlc

Palm wine is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, date palms, and coconut palms. Most times, they are hawked on the street by men riding bicycles. Most people from the eastern part of Nigeria boasts that they have the best palmwine. Others in the badagry area of Lagos state would readily disagree.

Zobo

Zobo
image soure: punchng

Zobo drink is a familiar beverage loved by Nigerians. It is produced from dried  Hibiscus leaves. This bright red drink is loved both for every day and as a refreshment drink in parties. This drink has many advantages: available, affordable, tasty, refreshing and have a lot healthy benefit.

Fura de Nono

Fura de nono
image source: pulseng

When I first saw fura, I thought it was Kunu. It was being hawked by a young Hausa girl. When I called her, I asked how much her kunu was. She answered in the clearest English that she could that it was fura not kunu. Fura da Nono as the Hausas call it or Fura de nunu as the majority of Nigerians choose to refer to it, is a very healthy and satisfying food. Nono or Nunu is a local yogurt with thick lumps produced from the fermentation of cow milk.

Skoochies

skoohies
image source: citypeoplemagazine

Skoochies is one of those locally-made cocktails cut from the same cloth as drinks like monkey tail or that heinous thing known simply as ‘mixture’. The red coloured drink is made by mixing gin, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice or zobo, depending on how lucky you are, and the juice from boiled marijuana.

Agbo

Agbo
Agbo

This is the name given to locally made herbal drinks that have been known traditionally to cure various illnesses. From malaria to typhoid fever, you name it. From the east to the west to the north and south, women can be seen hawking this drinks. All you need to do is tell these women your ailment and voila! They present you with agbo that will chase all your pains away. Agbo comes in two variants. There is one that is alcohol based, while there is another that is water based.

The Art of Bread Making

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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0
The Art of Bread Making
Milk Bread
image source: carolines cooking

A type of bread known as unleavened bread can be made by mixing flour with water and then baking it. Historically, this is the forerunner of modern bread. Unleavened bread is hard and unattractive to most palates and the resemblance to bread is slight.

Bread is made from flour, water, salt and yeast. It has a honeycomb structure and may be regarded as a solid foam (the disperse phase being has and the continuous phase being solid) with a multitude of pockets of CO2 distributed uniformly throughout its bulk.

Sugars originally present in the flour and that produced by the action of amylase are hydrolysis to glucose which is fermented by zymase in the yeast. Alcohol and CO2 are formed; CO2 aerates the dough while Maoist of the alcohol is driven off during baking. It is estimated that about 7% of the nutrients originally present in the dough are lost as a result of the fermentation process. The small amount of carbonyl is acid produced during fermentation lowers the pH of the dough and this affects the dough.

The CO2, because it lowers the pH also has a beneficial effect on the gluten structure. Some protein break down occurs during the fermentation period owing to the presence of proteolytic enzymes. During this period, the yeast cells multiply and the yeast contributes substantially, together with the fermentation products, to the flavor of the loaf. Two of the proteins present in flour – gliadin and glutenin- become hydrated and form an elastic complex called gluten when flour is kneaded with water.

It is the presence of this elastic gluten that makes the manufacture of bread possible, because it forms an interconnected network which contains CO2 within the loaf and prevents its escape. The gluten is uniformly distributed throughout the dough and the CO2 becomes trapped as small pockets of gas. As has production continues, the gluten strands are stretched and it is thought that bonds between adjacent protein molecules are broken and reformed to produce an elastic gas- retaining three dimensional network.

A ripe dough (one which is ready for baking) is springy, elastic, it can be  fairly easily stretched out and shows a capacity to recover its former shape. An under ripe dough is extensible, that is, it can be stretched but lacks elasticity. If fermentation is allowed to continue unhindered, the dough becomes over ripe, and a dough in this condition can not be stretched far without breaking, its power to retain CO2 is lost.

Top 5 Breakfast Ideas

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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Top 5 Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is the first meal of a day, usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night. It is arguably the most important meal of the day.

Here’s a look at a list of breakfast ideas that are delicious, nutritious and easy to make;

Fluffy pancakes

Easy to make, delicious and filling. Fluffy pancakes make very easy breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 tablespoon Sugar
  • ¼ cup Melted Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 2 Large Eggs

Preparation

  • Sift flour and baking powder to remove clumps or unwanted items.
  • In one bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
  • In a smaller bowl, crack in the egg, pour the milk, melted butter and vanilla essence and mix well using a fork.
  • Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients inside and gently fold the batter together with a wooden spoon until there are no longer any large lumps.
  • Heat up a pan on medium heat; add a teaspoon of butter or vegetable oil when it is hot.
  • Scoop a small portion of the pancake batter and add to the pan.
  • Flip and cook both sides for 2-3 minutes. It’s ready to flip over when bubbles/holes appear at the top of the pancake.

Serve with maple syrup and a cup of hot coffee or tea.

 

Wheat Porridge (Belila)

Nutrient packed and ready in twenty five minutes. The wheat berries are cooked, undrained, and stored in the fridge. Whenever you need to serve, just heat the amount you desire and add the hot milk to it.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup whole wheat berries
  • 1/4 cup hot milk, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup almonds, or to taste (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste (optional)

Directions

  • Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.
  • Add wheat berries.
  • Cover and remove from heat.
  • Let soak, 6 hours to overnight. Drain.
  • Combine soaked wheat berries with remaining 4 cups water; bring to a boil.
  • Simmer over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat; let stand until berries pop open, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Divide wheat berries among serving bowls.

Add a few spoonfuls of hot milk, a handful of almonds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to each bowl before serving.

 

Cheese Omelette

Cheese Omelette is a perfect breakfast idea. Great source of protein and ready in fifteen minutes.

Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Hot Water
  • Salt
  • Bread crumbs
  • Grated cheese
  • Butter

Directions

  • Beat the egg yolks thoroughly and add to them the hot water, salt, crumbs and cheese.
  • Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and put it carefully into the yolk mixture.
  • Heat the butter in an omelet pan (if you have any) if otherwise use a frying pan (sauce pan). Pour in the mixture, brown very slowly over the heat, then place in the oven to cook the top.

Serve hot.

 

Fried Plantain And Egg Sauce

Fried Plantain is very popular in Nigeria and commonly called “Dodo”. It is a simple and fast breakfast idea, and can be very delicious when served with egg sauce.

Ingredients

  • Ripe Plantain
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Onions
  • Fresh pepper
  • Fresh Tomatoes
  • Seasoning

Directions

  • Wash, peel and slice the plantain, add little salt, toss the plantain to ensure that the salt is evenly distributed.
  • Set your vegetable oil on cooker to heat up.
  • When heated, add a considerable quantity of the plantain slices to the oil, leaving enough room for the slice to fry evenly.
  • When the underside of the slices starts to turn golden, flip the slices on their other side.
  • Fry till a desirable browning is achieved.
  • Remove it and put in a sieve to drain out the oil.

Egg Sauce:

Directions

  • Crack the eggs in a bowl,whisk very well add salt.
  • Wash and slice the onion,fresh pepper and fresh tomatoes.
  • Heat up vegetable oil,add the onion fry for few seconds,add the fresh pepper and fresh tomatoes.
  • Add salt afry for 3minutes then pour in the green peas.
  • Fry for 1minute and yummy egg sauce is ready.

 

Spiced Banana-Chocolate Muffins

These muffins are a great way to start the day. What’s best? You can save them for later as energy boosting snacks. Ready in thirty five minutes.

Ingredients

  • Oats
  • White whole wheat flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Chia seeds (optional)
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground ginger
  • Mashed banana (from about 3 very ripe medium bananas)
  • Low-fat buttermilk
  • Vegetable oil
  • Eggs, beaten
  • Bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin-pan cups with paper liners.
  • In large bowl, whisk oats, flour, sugar, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. In medium bowl, stir together bananas, buttermilk, oil, and egg. Fold banana mixture into flour mixture. Divide among cups in muffin pan.
  • Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers of muffins comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Drizzle tops with chocolate.

Vegetables, Cooked vs Raw

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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Vegetables, Cooked vs Raw
Raw vs cooked vegetables
image source: huffingtonpost

A lot of people are under the impression that cooked vegetables have more calories than raw vegetables. In a sense, they are right: raw vegetables have fewer calories than cooked vegetables. This is because when you cook leafy vegetables, it shrinks, and you can therefore have more.

But that’s measuring by volume. By weight, the calories are the same whether you eat your vegetables raw or cooked. It is the same with carrots and any other vegetables that can be eaten either way. It is good to eat your vegetables cooked as well as raw. There’s no calorie difference and no healthfulness gap, and cooking vegetables certainly extends the range and variety of tastes and textures you can enjoy.

Cooked vegetables seem more filling and satisfying, more like real food, especially if they’re well-flavored.

Cold, raw vegetables like lettuce leaves, sprouts, celery, and carrot sticks are not for everyone. In fact, even people who love the rabbit- food veggies find there’s only so much of them they can eat. So to the extent that cooked vegetables extend your vegetable options, they are a definite plus for weight loss.

Eat as much as you want of vegetables, any way you want them; cooked or raw. Repeat this to yourself every time, as frequently as possible. Use your vegetables anyway you please. Use your vegetables in soups, stews, and so on. Marinate them, bake them, purée your vegetables, sauté them, stir fry them, chop them into slaw, grill them, roast them, fry them, I can go on and on. What I am trying to say in essence, is have your vegetables anyhow. They are nutritious in any form or manner.

They are a vast number of soups you can make with vegetables. You can also have them as salads, served with sauces, dressings, condiments, spices and herbs.

In summary, the war between cooked and raw vegetables is one that no one of them will win.

Try To Avoid These Foods

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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Try To Avoid These Foods
Foods you need to avoid
image source: womensheatmag

It is easy to say that there are no bad foods and that moderation is everything but guess what? There are bad foods. Eating anything every once in a while will not completely disrupt your health. But that doesn’t mean diet sodas aren’t bad. That also doesn’t mean you’re a bad person for drinking them. Aside from those random times when we all succumb to “bad” foods, there foods that nutritionists, steer clear of all the time or at least try to avoid as much as possible.

Here’s a list of our top ten foods to avoid:

Hot dogs

Processed meats in general are just one of the worst things you can put into your body. They’re high in sodium and saturated fats (not the good kind, like those found in coconut) and filled with sodium nitrite (a commonly used preservative that adds color and flavor to meats) and often other chemicals and dyes.

Consumption of processed meats, but not red meats, is associated with higher incidence of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. High intake of red and processed meat is associated with significant increased risk of colorectal, colon and rectal cancers. If you want to reduce your risk of cancer, avoid them.

Diet soda

Just because something is calorie-free doesn’t mean it’s chemical-free. Artificial sweeteners found in diet soda are known to trigger insulin, which sends your body into fat storage mode and may lead to weight gain, even though the soda contains no calories itself.

Diet soda has also been linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, when compared to regular soda.

Candy bars

Candy bars are incredibly unhealthy. They’re high in sugar, refined wheat flour, and processed fats while also very low in essential nutrients. What’s more, these treats will leave you hungry because of the way that your body metabolizes these sugar bombs.

Alternatively, eat fruit or a piece of quality dark chocolate instead.

High-calorie coffee drinks

Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and offers many benefits. Notably, coffee drinkers have a lower risk of serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s. At the same time, the creamers, syrups, additives, and sugars that are frequently added to coffee are highly unhealthy. These products are just as harmful as any other sugar-sweetened beverage. Alternatively, drink plain coffee instead. You can add small amounts of heavy cream or full-fat milk if you desire.

Instant noodles

When something has the word “instant” in its name, it’s likely something you’re going to want to try to avoid. They have done something to the food to make it instant. They’ve probably stripped it down and taken away a bit of the fiber and the stuff that we actually want. Plus, the amount of sodium in instant noodles is extremely high, and they contain what’s called monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has its own set of problems. It is a flavor enhancer and is an addictive substance, so we keep going back as a repeat customer. But with it, it can increase hunger, and that causes us to eat more.

White Rice

White rice is refined and processed, which means it’s generally more destructive to your health than alternatives like ancient grains or wild rice. The main reason? It can have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels. In fact, because of that impact on blood sugar levels, eating white rice in excess has even been linked to increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Energy drinks

The reason energy drinks taste so good? They’re packed with artificial flavorings and sugar. They can have higher amounts of sugar in it, or they’ll use artificial flavors which can cause a lot of inflammation of the body.  And when it comes to these energy drinks, most companies won’t disclose what those artificial flavorings actually are. Chemicals are used to recreate natural flavors.

Table salt

We’re all prone to sprinkling a bit of salt on our food before we eat it here and there. And while a little bit of salt is okay, it’s better to try and opt for sea salt or Himalayan salt over your standard table salt. That’s because table salt has been bleached and stripped of its natural minerals. Plus, it’s high in sodium, which can cause inflammation.

Sugary Cereal

They contain unheathy ingredients like; Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), refined carbs, added sugar

There’s no sugar-coating it: sugar wreaks havoc on the body. Consuming too much of the white stuff can lead to obesity, which often causes other health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Margarine

Unhealthy Ingredient: Palm oil

You know the creamy taste of margarine had to come from somewhere, and usually it’s from the addition of vegetable oils—and many blends can include palm oil, which has a high saturated fat content and can also cause inflammation. Alternatively, you can replace margarine with olive oil.

What Diets Can Do To You

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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What Diets Can Do To You
Diet
image source: hindustan

Dieters don’t eat consciously. They do t have blackouts. They know when they’re eating the whole box of cookies. What they lack is an awareness of the feeling of being hungry or craving the food. They’ve blocked the feeling because they thought it was bad. They tried to protect themselves from those urges.

Dieters need to get comfortable with these urges. They should know that it’s okay to eat, but to do it mindfully. In fact, you have to learn to work with those urges. If you don’t, the inevitable result is a binge. A woman once went into Dr. Howard M. Shapiro’s office that tell him that she’d had a terrible week. She went to a birthday party that featured a lavish buffet. Smelling the food, she was tempted, but what really called out to her was a piece of cheesecake. She resisted it because she thought it was bad.

Instead of having the buffet food or the cheesecake, she had a cupcake that she was a little less bad. The cupcake didn’t satisfy her, so she had another cupcake. After that, she just continued eating, having far more food than she was comfortable with. She ate so quickly, and with such feelings of guilt, that she didn’t enjoy any of it.

What was the alternative?

His message to her was that giving in to her urge and eating the cheesecake would not have been a problem. Where she had a problem was with her attitude. Instead of saying, “ This cheesecake looks good to me,” she said to herself, “How can I avoid this cheesecake?”

To loose weight successfully, you have to figure out a way to have that occasional piece of cake and still feel like you’re in the driver’s seat. Some people have the cake and say “ I would have the piece of cake and get it over with.” Why would you want to get it over with? Does it mean that you do not plan to have a price of cake for another four weeks or 3 months or a year? It is a mistake to put eating on hold, to think that you can turn off your desire to eat as if you were turning off a switch. That would be sad. You will have the urge to eat cake or whatever else tempts you from time to time. That urge is not an evil thing. You don’t have to view a piece of cake, or whatever you desire, as an unfortunate or disastrous lapse of self-control.

The goal is to have your mind right. Find a way to psyche yourself to the point that you understand that it is okay to have a piece of cake or any other craving when you’re on a diet. It’s not going to put a spammer into your works. As long as you don’t do it on a daily basis or frequently, cause then you’re being counterproductive.

Angwa Moo

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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1
Angwa Moo

Angwa moo is simply rice fried and cooked in oil. It is the native name for Braised rice. The Akan people of Ghana pride themselves on it as a consistent dish to save time and quench immediate hunger.

It is one of the easiest dishes you will make. It is also referred to and translated as “oiled rice” is unlike fried rice in which you cook the rice before frying.

Oiled rice is cooked by first frying the onion in oil, then adding water after the onions have browned. This will give the rice a different fragrance.

Angwa Moo As A Quick Fix

From the child who wants a quick fix because mother still hasn’t returned from the funeral to the young bachelor who can’t be bothered with the whole cooking shenanigans, “Angwa mo” aka “oily rice” has been a life savior in one way or another.

Ghanaian Dish Angwaa Moo

Angwa mo (angwamo, and moo, or angwamu) is a classic favorite dish of most Ghanaians as it is a flavorful and quick recipe to follow. Traditionally, it is mostly served with earthenware-ground pepper, with either tinned sardines or fried eggs complementing it.

Ghanaian main courses are built around a starchy staple food, which is accompanied by a sauce or soup containing a protein source. Many believe Ghanaians’ menus are high in carbs, and this rice dish is no exception.

Many also argue that the high fat and carbohydrate content of this meal makes it unhealthy. This fact makes it a not-so-regular food but a quick fix.

How To Cook Angwa Moo

Cooking angwa moo begins with frying the onion in oil, followed by adding water and rice and allowing the mixture to cook together.

The browning of the onions imparts a golden color to the rice as well as a sweet flavor to the dish. Frying the diced salted beef adds a nice crunch and allows the beef to absorb the sweet flavor of the onions as well as the slight heat from the chilies.

Onions are aromatic and are a common angwa moo ingredient. The crispy bottom of the rice, also known as scorched rice, is incredible, and everyone will fight over a piece.

The secret to having a fluffy and perfectly cooked oily rice is to let it cook in its own steam.

Check out the steps below:

Angwa Moo

Angwa Moo

Angwa mo (angwamo, angwa moo or angwamu) is aclassic favorite dish of most Ghanaians as it is a flavorful and quick recipeto follow. Angwa mo is simply rice fried and cooked in oil. It is one of theeasiest dishes you will make.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine West-African
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

For Angwa Moo

  • 3 tbsp Peanut oil
  • 1 cup Fragrant white rice
  • 80 g Salted beef (tolobeef) (See recipe below)
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cube Maggi seasoning
  • Fresh red pepper diced
  • 2 cups Water
  • Pepper to taste

For Salted beef(Tolobeef)

  • 80 g beef (sirloin or rib eye)
  • 2 tbsp sea salt
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions
 

For Salted beef(Tolobeef)

  • In a plastic or glass container with a lid, add the beef and sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Rub the beef with the salt, then add the bay leaves.
  • Cover the container and place in a warm place for 24 hours.
  • Drain the blood then cover the container again and place in a warm place for another 24 hours.

For Angwa Moo

  • Chop one half of the onions and set aside.
  • In a pot, heat oil and fry the chopped onions in hot oil until golden brown then add the salted beef and fry well.
  • Wash and drain the rice. Add to the mixture and fry over medium heat for 2 minutes.
  • Add the seasoning cube, hot pepper, salt to taste and mix.
  • Pour in the water and stir properly.
  • Add the remaining onion and cook again for 5 minutes, Make sure to check for softness.
  • Remove from heat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Akotonshi

Jennifer Ezeokoli
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Akotonshi

Akotonshi is a delicious stuffed crab dish. This crab dish is associated with feasting in Ghana. It’s cooked with either large fresh blue or red crabs with a variety of spices, tomato, and bread crumbs, and it’s absolutely tasty.

Crabs are a good source of protein and at the same time have low amounts of saturated fats. I’m not sure Akotonshi would make so much sense as a meal without the crab in it. The grab, for Ghanaians, is the real deal! Nothing less.

Where Did Akotoshi Originate From?

Akotonshi originated from Ghana. It’s wide knowledge that Ghana boasts of several unique and tasty dishes and this one is not left out. Without needing to fly to Ghana, there are a plethora of delicious foods, including this one that you may prepare from the comfort of your home.

When Ghanaians think of a feast, this dish comes to mind. It is highly recommended for most public and family celebrations in Ghana. Getting a packet of fresh crab flesh from local fishermen is the first step in making this dish.

Akotonshi Nutritional Benefits

This appetizer is great for diabetics because it contains chromium. Chromium helps insulin to metabolize sugar which leads to low sugar levels in the blood. Are you a seafood lover? Then try this simple and highly nutritional crab dish when you feel like trying something exciting.

Akotonshi Recipe

Check out the processes involved in making your crab dish below.

Akotonshi

Akotonshi

Akotonshi is a delicious stuffed crab dish. The crab mixed with an array of spices, tomato and bread crumbs is simply delicious. The crab dish is a dish that is associated with feasting in Ghana. It is made with either large fresh blue or red carbs.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine West-African
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large Whole crabs or cooked crab meat
  • 1 large Fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 large Onion minced
  • 1 tsp ginger ground
  • 2 large Tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 large Green bell peppers finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Cloves ground
  • 1 tsp Dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp Grains of paradise, ground to a powder (Optional)
  • 2 medium Minced African bird peppers (use hot Thai peppers if unavailable),
  • 1/2 cup Dried shrimp
  • Plain bread crumbs
  • Parsley
  • salt

Instructions
 

  • If cooking whole crabs, clean them and bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
  • Add in the ginger, cloves and the crab, cook for 15 minutes.
  • Remove crabs and meat, keep shells for plating.
  • If using just crab meat Mix crab meat with ¼ cup water that has been boiled with the ginger piece and cloves for 15 minutes.
  • Drain water, flake the meat and set aside. 
  • In a heavy pot,heat oil to medium temperature and add other ingredients in the following sequence, stirring for a minute or so between each: onions, ground ginger,tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper, cumin, nutmeg, thyme, grains of paradise,paprika, mashed peppers, and dried shrimp.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are cooked.
  • Add crab meat and stir another couple of minutes to heat it through.
  • Then spoon the mixture into clean crab shells or ramekins (small individual baking dishes).
  • Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each crab and toast under an oven broiler, being careful not to let the crumbs scorch.
  • Garnish with parsley.
Keyword crab
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Image Source: The food dictator 

Tamarind Juice

Cuisine228
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Tamarind Juice

Tamarind Juice will definitely quench your thirst on a hot summer day. It is a drink that is refreshing with a tropical twist then tamarind certainly fits the bill.

Tamarind Juice is full of multivitamins, minerals, COX-inhibitor compounds, and many health benefits. This healthy drink improves immunity, digestion, eye, heart, liver, and nerve health.

History of Tamarind

In case you are not familiar with what tamarind is then let me explain. Tamarind is a long pod with a hard brown shell.  This fruit is indigenous to tropical Africa, but has been cultivated for so long on the Indian subcontinent that it is sometimes reported to be indigenous there. It grows wild in Africa in locales as diverse as Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Somalia, Tanzania and Malawi.

What is Tamarind Used For?

The pulp is used for culinary and medicinal purposes and plays a crucial role in Indian cuisines. Ironically India is one of the biggest manufacturers of tamarind and with how prevalent the use of the fruit is, it’s hard not to believe why.

What is The Taste Of Tamarind?

Tamarind has an instinctive taste, it’s almost like a juicy acidic sourness with a slight tangy sweetness. Most people tend to sweeten tamarind which makes it more tolerant to use.

Do not be deterred by the description of the taste because tamarind juice is extremely tasty. If you like lemon or lime juice then tamarind juice will win you over.

What’s A Good Tamarind Substitute?

Tamarind’s flavor profile is a mixture of sweet and sour, with the balance leaning towards the sour. The best way to replicate this is with a sour element such as lemon or lime juice, mixed with sugar. Lemon and lime juice are relatively easy to find and their flavors pair well with most of the flavors in dishes that require tamarind.

What is Tamarind Juice Made Of?

It’s made of fresh, ripe tamarind pods are that are shelled and deveined and then simmered in water to soften and to extract the pulp. The resulting pulp is strained, diluted with additional water, and sweetened with simple syrup to taste. It’s enjoyed chilled or served over ice as a refreshment.

Exceptional Health Benefits of Tamarind Juice

Here are 5 major exceptional benefits of Tamarind Juice;

  1. Improves digestion: it helps to cure indigestion, constipation, etc. It improves your digestive system and effectively treats irregular bowel movements.
  2. Weight loss: Tamarind is full of fiber & zero fat which makes it best for weight loss. Fiber-rich fruits keep your tummy full for longer and prevent you from overeating. Drinking tamarind drink every day can help you lose weight. Tamarind has antioxidant properties plus polyphenols that help to lose weight quickly.
  3. Detoxifies liver: It lessens the liver’s toxicity so you can have a healthy life.
  4. Releases heatstroke: it is perfect for releasing the effects of sunstroke. Try out a chilled glass of Jamaican tamarind juice this summer to beat the heat.
  5. Treats sore throats: if you want to treat sore throats, gargle with this drink.

What is the Best Time to Drink Tamarind Juice?

Your homemade tamarind juice is ready to drink anytime, but only after seeing a doctor during the summer and monsoon seasons.

Can I Drink Tamarind Juice Everyday?

They keep you full for longer and prevent you from overeating or bingeing on unhealthy snacks. Drinking tamarind juice everyday can help you shed those extra kilos.

Does Tamarind Juice Help Lose Weight?

Rich in fiber and low in fat content, tamarind makes an excellent weight-loss-friendly food item. It is loaded with flavonoids and polyphenols that can boost your metabolism and aid in weight loss.

How to Make Tamarind Juice From Scratch?

To make tamarind juice from scratch you will need fresh tamarind pods or you can use a block of tamarind. To Speed up the process of separating the pulp from the seeds.

You can pulse the pulp with water on very low speed in a blender. This is a much quicker method then leaving the pulp to soak overnight in warm water. If your blender isn’t sturdy enough to breakdown the seeds then leave the pods to soak for several hours or overnight.

How Do You Preserve Tamarind Juice?

Juice it with your fingers to remove as much ‘juice’ as possible, strain and use. Discard pulp. Tear apart a handful chunk of tamarind off the block and place in a glass container with a lid. Cover with enough water to immerse it, and refrigerate.

Notes and Tips to Make Tamarind Juice

  • Store the juice in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator, ready to drink
  • Consume the juice within 5 days of preparation.
  • If you don’t have a high speed blender then soak your pods for sever hours or overnight so they separate from the seeds.
  • Use 3 blocks of tamarind or 1 large jar of tamarind paste (additive free, no other ingredients) if you cannot source fresh pods.
  • The taste. Tamarind is quite tart in taste, if you want a sweeter taste then add more sweetener. If you like a sour drink then use less sweetener or none at all
  • Don’t forget to add some ice cubes to your drink.
  • For a different taste, why not use ginger, lime, cloves, nutmeg or cinnamon.

Other Delicious Drinks To Try

  1. Jamaican Sorrel Drink
  2. Lemonade  (Lemon Juice)
  3. Apple juice
  4. Orange juice
  5. Cucumber juice
Tamarind juice

Tamarind Juice

df96218443c01ecad1f142e17b62f1127641ec5f605ce7b23471b5b4369f0daf?s=30&r=gCuisine228
Enjoy the wonderful benefits of this refreshing tamarind juice recipe made from scratch.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Togolese
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • fresh tamarind fruit
  • 1 - 2 lt water
  • sugar to taste

Instructions
 

  • Macerate the seeds in the water for about ten minutes.
  • Knead with your own hand to extract the juice then filter, sweeten and perfume eventually.
  • Serve well fresh.

Video

Keyword Juice, Refreshing Drink, Tamarind Juice
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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