Abacha

Abacha is a very common dish in the Eastern part of Nigeria. It can be served as a meal or a snack and it is usually served with fried fish. There are different ways to make this dish. The traditional way I learned to make it is inside a mortar. Also, due to health reasons, I usually cut out potash from the recipe. You can make this dish without the potash and still get the same nice tasting abacha. However, I will add the potash to the recipe this time for blogging purposes.

Ingredients:
Abacha
2 spoons potash (akaun)
Palm Oil
2 handfuls Crayfish
Pomo/Canda (chopped into small pieces - optional)
Dry Pepper
Ugba/Ukpaka (oil bean seeds)
Knorr
Salt
Onions
Garden eggs
Garden egg leaves
Fried Fish

Directions: Fry the dry pepper (without oil) in a pan till it blackens a little then grind with a dry mill. Do the same for the crayfish and set them aside. This frying releases their flavors but is optional if you don't have a dry mill. Just buy the crayfish and dry pepper already ground.

Soak the abacha in water for like 3minutes. Drain into a strainer and set aside.

Grind the potash and add a cup of water to it. Stir well and strain into the pot you'll be making the abacha in. Put the pot on the stove and heat. Add the palm oil to the pot and stir well for like 5minutes then turn off the heat.

Add the abacha, ugba, pomo, crayfish and knorr. Add the pepper one spoon at a time and taste so that you don't put too much. Mix everything together and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Dish into a plate and garnish with onion slices, chopped garden eggs and cut garden egg leaves. Finish off with fried fish and ENJOY!!!