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Today, I’m excited to introduce you to another delicious and easy-to-make dish from the rich culinary tradition of the Igala people: Ogidigbo. This indigenous delicacy, primarily made from fresh corn, offers a unique twist on the traditional Nigerian moi-moi.
Tips For Making the Best Ogidigbo
Banana leaves are the best choice as they give a certain nice taste to the meal. But as we’re all forming ‘modern’ nowadays, the leaves may be a little hard to find. In that case, you can use either Santana nylons or small tins.
Banana leaves: these may prove the hardest of the three. Use multiple leaves to ensure all possible spaces are covered. Put in a pot with a little water and leave to cook.
Nylons: Santana nylons are those small white nylons usually used for moi-moi. Some of these nylons are not strong, so I advise people to double them to avoid the nylons tearing in the water. After doubling and tying them securely, place them in a pot of water and leave to boil till cooked. –
Tins: using tins would be advised if you’re looking for perfectly formed Ogidigbo. You can use recycled tomato or tin milk cans; some people even use small cupcake pans for this. Other people also use special little containers with covers.
Ensure you grease the tins before putting the paste to avoid sticking after cooking. Don’t fill the tins/pans to the brim to avoid overflowing. Pour the paste into about three-quarters of the tins.
It is advised to put a little stainless steel tray on the bottom of the pot to give a little support to the tins while cooking. Don’t put much water in the pot; when it starts boiling it could enter into the tins. The water should be about halfway the length of the bottom level of the tins. Boil on low or medium heat.
Ogidigbo Igala Food
Equipment
- Banana leaves, Santana nylons or Small tins
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn
- 2 tbsp palm oil
- Onions and pepper mix
- Crayfish (optional)
- Condiments (maggi, salt e.t.c)
Instructions
- Wash the corn well, taking care to remove any stones or residual sand.
- Along with onions, pepper and crayfish, blend the corn till it is smooth enough (2 or 3 times should be enough, depending on the sharpness of the blender blades).
- Add a little water to the paste. You should target a thick running consistency for the paste to get the best results.
- Add your condiments to taste.
- Pour the paste in measured quantities into the leaves, nylon or tins.
- The meal is cooked via the 'steam' method, water is not supposed to get into it. Here are some tips for each of the options
- In some minutes you can call everybody to come and settle down for some delicious Ogidigbo.
