Chopist | Zikoko!

Whether you’re a fan of fluffy slices or crispy crusts, bread is a staple that rises to the occasion at every meal. Let’s break bread with Nigeria’s most beloved bread types, according to those who knead it the most. We asked around and this is what Nigerians think of the most popular bread types, from mid to upper crust.

Raisin bread

Raisin bread is rich and filling, but not everyone likes the too-sweet raisins.

Wheat bread

Source: 31 Daily

Whole wheat bread might be a healthier alternative due to its higher fibre content, but let’s all just admit we find it less palatable compared to the sweeter and softer white bread.

Brioche bread

Is it bread or is it a pastry? Buttery and sweet, this one gives luxury or special-occasion bread because it simply always costs more — or maybe it just looks like it does? Either way, Nibbles Bread is about to introduce its version, and we guarantee it’ll be easy on the pocket.

Tea buns

Tea buns are enjoyed as a treat, especially with tea or coffee, but like brioche, they tend to be considered more of a snack than a staple.

Sliced bread

It’s convenient, good for sandwiches and widely available. But beyond being the perfect plain base for peanut butter and anything else you might like, it’s simply not that tasty on its own like the bread types above it.

Sardine bread

Great for when you want something savoury without having to spend on a spread or filling after buying your bread. The only reason why it’s not top of the list is because if it’s not fresh, it’s nasty.

Coconut bread

Source: Amy’s Delicious Mess

It’s like biting into a sweet, nutty hug from the one Grandma who always brings you Gurundi and Shuku Shuku when she visits. Whether you enjoy this soft, moist bread plain or slathered in your favourite spread, it’s always a win. Throw in the health benefits of the coconut’s fibre and healthy fats, and what’s not to love? The only downside is how scarce it is.

White loaf

Source: Conde Nast Traveler

Are you really surprised this is at the top of the ranking? Soft, fluffy and sweet, this is the go-to that defines what a “bread” should be. The OG, Agege bread, is low-yeast, and all other types and brands model themselves after it. But Nibbles family loaf is fluffy and sweet with a good price and longevity.

Nicknamed the “bread of life”, Nibbles is one of the best bread brands in Nigeria today. People, especially those who like their bread fluffy, love it for its quality and variety of options. Today, it has family loaves and tea buns, with many new variants on the way. Available on a quick stop at any Kilimanjaro restaurant or any store or supermarket nationwide.

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AND NOW: We Ranked Nigerian Bread Pairings From Worst To Best

Lolade Alaka

June 11, 2024

Chopist, Eat

Agege bread, bread, Nibbles Bread, Nigerians, ranked, sponsored
In this interview with Mariam “Mory Coco” Bakre, the popular creative and influencer, she explores her passion for cooking and her best recipes, detailing the best methods that guarantee great results. She also touches on her role as a Knorr Eativist and how that influences her dietary decisions. Join us as we peek into her mind as a Knorr Eativist.

Can you share a creative and healthy recipe that your family loves, and how did you come up with it?

Mory Coco: I wouldn’t call it a sweet treat, but I definitely love a good bowl of spicy tomato-based spaghetti! This dish was born from my desire to find a satisfying and healthy way to indulge my cravings. It hits all the right notes—fresh tomatoes cooked into a rich sauce with just the right amount of heat and perfectly cooked spaghetti, waiting to be topped with my favourite mix of veggies—bell peppers, carrots, and sometimes even spinach adds essential nutrients and a satisfying crunch. This meal is a perfect example of how healthy eating doesn’t have to be bland!

Can you share a creative and healthy recipe your family loves?

Mory Coco: A staple in our household is turkey pepper soup with boiled plantains. It’s incredibly easy to make, undeniably healthy, and bursting with flavour that everyone enjoys. You begin by sautéing aromatic ingredients like garlic, onion, and ginger. Chopped turkey is added and allowed to release its natural juices, further deepening the flavor profile. Next, add fresh habanero peppers and herbs and spices like rosemary and thyme. Add enough water to create a satisfying broth, followed by pepper soup spice mix, a Knorr seasoning cube, and a sprinkle of salt for balance. It’s ready to be enjoyed after simmering until the turkey reaches your desired tenderness! Then serve with a side of boiled plantains.

As a Knorr Eativist, what’s your favourite healthy ingredient swap in traditional recipes to make it fun and enticing?

Mory Coco: As a Knorr Eativist, I’m passionate about finding healthy swaps that don’t compromise taste! There’s a terrible misconception that healthy meals can’t taste good, and that’s definitely not true. For instance, when making jollof rice, I ditch the regular vegetable oil and swap it for olive oil. I sometimes go even further by using herb-infused olive oil with notes of rosemary, thyme, garlic, and chillies. This simple switch adds complexity and a delightful nutritional boost, making every bite delicious and good for you! It’s a perfect example of how small changes can impact healthy and flavorful cooking.

Partner

May 2, 2024

Chopist

Cooking, Food, knorr, Mory Coco, Recipes
When Flavour sang, “Better food, na money kill am,” he knew what he was doing, and I’m sure he didn’t mean the song only in the confines of man and woman but on actual Foood! How do I know this? My father decided to bring us home again for another holiday, and being the adventurous person that I am, especially with food, I just knew that spending my Easter holiday in Nigeria couldn’t be spent indoors again, and I’m glad I made that decision. Now that I’m back in the US, I can look back and say this was the best decision I made, although it could have been better because of the unnecessary shege I experienced before finally discovering a dining reservation app ‘Reisty’ which could have been totally avoided.

Of course, as the Explorer that I am, I explored Lagos alone at first which I immediately regretted. For a home buddy, you would almost think you are self-sufficient, too much consumption of lifestyle Instagram content made me feel like one of those creators, and so I took my phone stand, airpods and decided to venture into Lagos, totally forgetting how Lagosians took advantage of IJGBs (I just got back from the diaspora, usually for the holidays) and generally people who are new in places and embarked on a Lagos adventure.

As if being mugged wasn’t enough, my meals didn’t taste like they looked. Great ambiance but terrible food! But if you know me by now, I don’t give up; visions of bustling markets, vibrant nightlife, and delicious food danced in my head. The best meal I had will only get 4/10 in my books. But the resilient person in me doesn’t give up, so, we movee.

I went on Google and did a bunch of searches on the best restaurants in Lagos and the best reservation apps similar to opentable in Lagos (Opentable is a reservation application I use to book tables in the US) to ensure I had more than enough options. Of course, I saw a couple but something about Reisty lulled me in. I’ve always been a sucker for good-looking stuff and Reisty stood out for me. Installing the app was a breeze, I set up an account and my Reisty login was simple. Guess who saw a whole 2000 naira in their wallet? Meee! Thumbs up to Reisty for whoever came up with that genius idea.

Perusing the restaurants was something I enjoyed doing because each restaurant profile had all the answers I needed, from menus to clear photos of the restaurant to the location and even genuine reviews from people who had visited the restaurant. The creativity of the Reisty app is one I love to experience over and over again. Lagosians, you really don’t know what this online dining reservation app has done for you until you try it.

I tried the first restaurant with about 50% enthusiasm, because once bitten twice shy, and I’ll give them 100/100. The first restaurant I decided to try out was Mantra Lagos. I have heard a lot about this restaurant especially since I had a hidden interest in Indian culture and it looked like the perfect spot. It was so good, the ambiance, the food, and just everything was top-notch!

By the second restaurant, my excitement level had risen to 70% because I didn’t want to serve myself breakfast before the real breakfast. The expectation was surpassed, and now, I have 100% confidence in any restaurant on the Reisty app.

One thing I particularly love about Reisty is, it has no bad restaurants. Reisty had the right restaurants with great ambiance and even more fantastic food. Because of the shege I had seen, my first intention was to drag Reisty and the restaurants they had on blogs for their inconsistency, but I couldn’t because of the excellence at which everything went. The seamless location of restaurants made identifying restaurants, viewing menus, booking seats, and ordering food a breeze.

Restaurants are segmented based on categories, making it easy to explore restaurants that suited my vibes, from rooftops to restaurants with ocean views to Indian and many other categories

The foodie in me has been upgraded because this adventure was top-notch. At this point, Reisty needs to employ me as their US-Nigerian ambassador because all my friends and family have downloaded the app.

To be very honest, whoever created the Reisty app had me in mind because my Lagos adventure went from potentially stressful to absolutely fantastic. I also got a free 2k in my Reisty wallet, so it was a win-win for me. I explored hidden corners of the city, experienced authentic Lagos culture, and, most importantly, had a blast doing it.

To my fellow IJGBs, listen up! If you’re planning a Lagos adventure, just download the Reisty app from your app store, or playstore. You’ll definitely thank me later. Lagosians, I would also advice that you don’t sleep on this because it takes your outside game from zero to 100. Take this from a US resident.

Partner

April 26, 2024

Chopist, Eat

Food Adventure, IJGB, Lagos, Reisty
The inflation is inflationing, but that shouldn’t keep you from sending something valuable to your Muslim friends this Ramadan. Start with a Ramadan fruit basket to show you’re all about their well-being without breaking the bank.

Watermelon

Photo source: Nairaland

Watermelons are 90% liquid and a great choice for anyone who’s been dehydrated for hours. A small to medium-sized watermelon should set you back about ₦3000 – 3500. Watermelon slices sell for ₦150 – 200.

Pineapples

Photo source: Next Cash and Carry

If your Muslim friend or relative has a sweet tooth, you can replace the watermelon with a pineapple. A small to medium-sized one costs about ₦1200 – 2500. Pineapples contain vitamins A and C, and are great options for rehydrating a fasting Muslim.

Apples

Photo source: BO Farms

Apples have great water content and are rich in vitamins A and C, which help reduce skin issues. A medium-sized apple costs about ₦200 – 250, which means a dozen will cost no more than ₦3000.

Oranges

Photo source: KitchenButterfly

Oranges are rich in vitamin C and water, and are probably the cheapest option on this list. A dozen medium-sized oranges cost between ₦1000 – 1500. Go for the vibrant yellow, slightly heavy ones if you want them juicy.

Grapefruit

Photo source: Mile12Market

Grapefruit isn’t as sweet as an orange, but it’s another vitamin C-rich fruit with high water content. A dozen in your fruit basket should cost about ₦1500 – 3000.

Plums

Photo source: Fairway Market

If your friends and relatives find apples boring, add some plums in that fruit basket. They’re rich in water content and are good for bone health. A medium-sized plum sells for as high as ₦300 – 500. You can do half a dozen for your fruit basket.

Mango

Mangoes contain vitamins A, C and E, which are all effective in hydration. A dozen should cost about ₦1000 – 1500.

Ready to build a Ramadan fruit basket? Take this quiz first: Can You Unscramble These Fruits In 2 Minutes?

Adeyinka Odutuyo

March 11, 2024

Chopist

fruits and vegetables, Nigeria, Nigerians, Ramadan
On Monday, February 5, 2024, Chishuru, a UK-based restaurant founded by Nigerian chef, Adejoke Bakare, was one of 18 restaurants awarded with a Michelin Star. This makes her the first black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK, and second in the world.

Michelin Stars are given by a collective of inspectors employed by the Michelin guide, who visit different restaurants in about 40 countries, as anonymous customers.

Photo source: Instagram/@chishuru

A brief history of Chef Bakare and Chishuru

Chef Bakare’s interest in the culinary world dates back to her years in Kaduna, where she grew up with a Yoruba mother and an Igbo father. As a child, she enjoyed watching her maternal grandmother cook, so she never considered cooking for her siblings as a chore. Her love for cooking continued even as a student of biological science at the university in Kaduna. “My culinary experience up to that point was running a fish and chips cart while I was studying,” Bakare revealed in a Guardian UK interview.

She eventually moved to the United Kingdom in the 1990s and worked in the care and property management industries before friends encouraged her to start a supper club in 2017. Fast forward to 2019, she participated in a Brixton Village competition that rewarded the winner with an opportunity to operate a three-month pop-up restaurant.

“When I won, it was almost like a sign to go, “OK, you can now do those things that you want to do. There is an avenue for me to get on doing food more professionally.”

In September 2020, months after the triumphant win, Chishuru was born as a pop-up serving contemporary West African dishes. The restaurant’s West African cuisine quickly gained popularity among the Brits, especially customers who grew up in West Africa and were familiar with the region’s culinary offerings, earning her a feature on Great British Chefs in 2023 and a recognition in the top 100 restaurants in the UK at the National Restaurant Awards.

Photo source: Instagram/@chishuru

By 2023, Chishuru had outgrown Brixton Village, prompting a move to Fitzrovia, London.

“With a mixture of great relief and excitement we can finally announce that reservations are now OPEN for our restaurant in Fitzrovia!” read a post shared on the restaurant’s official Instagram page in August 2023.

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A Michelin-starred restaurant

Photo source: Instagram/@chishuru

On Monday, February 6, news broke that Chishuru achieved the Michelin milestone, less than six months after setting up a permanent place in Fitzrovia in September 2023.

“Until this morning I was just focused on enjoying the accolade itself, which I’m hugely honoured by. But seeing reactions on social media today, I’m starting to feel a weight of responsibility on my shoulders too. It’s lovely,” she said in an interview.

Nigerians have also taken to social media to celebrate chef Adejoke Bakare for the inspiring and record-breaking feat.

What does Chishuru serve?

Chef Adejoke Bakare told the Guardian that Chishuru’s menu is not restricted to Nigeria food.

“You can’t describe our food as “Nigerian” though, because there’s no one food tradition… much of the culinary history predates the lines on a map. My parents are Yoruba and Igbo, and I grew up in Hausa territory, so my food is informed by all three of those culinary styles.”

The restaurant offers a set menu only, priced at £75pp for dinner and £35pp for lunch. Chishuru’s lunch menu features fermented crispy rice cake with smoky, meaty mushrooms, creamy and light corn cake with fragrant coconut, date and tamarind sauce and grilled breadfruit. For dinner, the restaurant serves moi-moi (bean cake, bone marrow, omelette, red pepper, scallop roe), peppersoup (seasonal shellfish, radish, apple), asun (roasted cull goat belly, glaze, pepper relish) and imoyo (Newlyn cod fillet, fermented tomato sauce, Scotch bonnet, okra).

Want to start your culinary journey? This article offers insights: How to Become a Chef in Nigeria

Adeyinka Odutuyo

February 8, 2024

Chopist

Nigeria, Nigerian Food, Nigerians
Food inflation has shown Nigerians hot shege over the past few months. So, if you plan to visit a restaurant on February 14 with the LOYL, you might want to reconsider that choice. Imagine coughing out ₦87k on one meal, God, abeg.

You’ll spend a lot less if you enter the kitchen, and we know just the right meals to cook.

Red pancakes

Ditch the natural brownish pancake colour for something that speaks to the theme of the day. Exactly, colour RED. If red cake is a thing, who says you cannot serve red pancakes on Valentine’s Day? Find a simple recipe here.

Akara

Most Nigerians would rather buy from the roadside than make this meal in their house because making it is mad stressful. So when you take the trouble upon yourself and serve the LOYL that plate of hot akara, they’ll only think, “You went through all that stress for me?” Find a simple recipe here.

Pounded yam and egusi

Emphasis on “pounded” because no Nigerian meal screams “Labour of love” louder than pounded yam. Think about it, you’ll have to slice the yam, cook it and then pound it afterwards. You also have to make egusi because regular soup can’t work for this special day. Listen, there’s no way they’ll doubt your true love for them after this meal. Find a simple recipe here.

Homemade pizza

Another meal Nigerians love but hardly ever make themselves. So, when you take up the challenge and serve them flaming hot pizza from your own oven, they’ll know you rate them AF. We suggest you start practicing ahead with this straightforward recipe.

Where are our Zikoko Ships now?

Find out how three of our Ships are doing five years later:

Spoiler alert: it’s lovey-dovey

Jollof spaghetti

Pasta is a main character in every Nigerian love story, and restaurants know this. That’s why it’s always on the menu, and ridiculously priced too. So, enter the kitchen and cook the wickedest jollof pasta ever. Remember, we’re sticking to the red theme of the day, so avoid anything creamy, please. Find a simple recipe here.

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Small chops

This one will show them you understand that variety is the spice of a happy relationship. A basket of puff-puff, spring rolls, samosa, gizzard and mosa all home-cooked by you? They will know you have no intention of boring them to death in the relationship. Find a recipe here.

Red Velvet cake

What’s more perfect than treating your boo to a dessert that comes in the colour of the day? Just make sure you do all the baking yourself. That’s the only way they’ll know you went through it just to tease their tastebuds. If you don’t know how to bake, practise with this recipe today.

READ ALSO: 9 Nigerian Meals We Love to Eat but Never Cook Ourselves

Adeyinka Odutuyo

February 7, 2024

Chopist

Foodie, Nigerians, valentines day
On Sunday, January 24, 2024, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources in Lagos, Tokunbo Wahab, announced on X that plastics and styrofoam packs have become a menace in the city.

“Following the menace which single-use plastics, especially non-biodegradable Styrofoam are causing on the environment, the Lagos State government through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources is hereby announcing a ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the State with immediate effect.”

Following the ban, some food retail companies have made swift adjustments to their takeout orders. Food Concept Plc. — Chicken Republic, Pie Express and The Chopbox — in a statement encouraged customers to visit their outlets with their own reusable takeaway containers.

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A Case for green leaf packaging

Leaves are an age-long alternative for packaging food, but most restaurants restrict leaf packaging to local recipes such as ofada rice and moi-moi, when there’s nothing stopping them from extending it to other meals on the menu.

Why are they better than plastics?
- Leaves degrade quickly after use
- They are organic, so they contain no artificial chemicals that can pollute the environment
- Leaves are raw materials that do not need production processes that pollute the environment, unlike synthetic packaging
Also, the leaf packaging options for food service providers are endless. We checked and found seven.

Moi-moi leaves

Originally used to serve the eponymous meal, moi-moi AKA bean pudding, it’s since been embraced as a packaging option for meals like ofada rice, fufu and pounded yam.

Banana leaves

They’re large and flexible. Besides wrapping and packaging food, they can also be used to serve food on the go. No need for plates.

Plantain leaves

Similar to banana leaves, plantain leaves are surprisingly smaller and often rounder. However, they offer the same use.

Coco yam leaves

Another broad-sized leaf that’ll make a good option for both packaging and serving meals. They’re already commonly used to wrap swallows like fufu and pounded yam, so why not creamy pasta or jollof?

Teak leaves

They’re from the iconic African teak tree AKA Iroko. They come in rounded shapes that make them a great option for food packaging.

Cabbage leaves

Forget that it’s one of the key salad ingredients, cabbage leaves offer some use for food packaging. The leaves have a flexible texture that makes folding and wrapping easy.

Lettuce leaves

As Nigerians, cabbage and lettuce are pretty much one and the same. If we can use cabbage leaves to pack our food, we can use lettuce. It’s that simple.

If you love trenches food, you should read this article: Which Trenches Food is the GOAT? We Ranked Them All
Adeyinka Odutuyo

January 24, 2024

Chopist

Leave, Nigeria, Nigerians
As a kid, soy sauce was one of those condiments in my mother’s kitchen that I didn’t quite understand. I don’t think she understood it either. It was just there on the rack, collecting dust and grease. On days when I tried to test my culinary skills, I’d get lucky with curry and thyme, but never with soy sauce. It was too salty, and once, the dark brown colour left my fried egg a complete mess. Like my mum, I abandoned it on the rack, hardly using it even when a recipe called for it.

Nine years later, I crossed paths with soy sauce again while I was at the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja. Camp food was unpleasant, and it was hard to tell which Mami Market vendors had the best offering. But one name kept coming up from my roommates: Korede Spaghetti. Everyone swore by how tasty it was until I made a trip to Mami Market to find out for myself.

I’d make about 15 trips to Korede’s stall throughout my stay in camp. There was something different about his stir-fried spaghetti and jollof. The colour was a dark brownish red that leaned towards waakye but just wasn’t as dark. It wasn’t until my final week in camp that I discovered one of his not-so-secret ingredients.

That day, I’d gotten to his stall a little too early and was lucky to watch him season the pasta. As someone who enjoyed cooking, I paid attention to everything that went into his wok, as I had plans to recreate the recipe once I got out of camp. Right there, I watched him pull out a bottle of soy sauce — the same one we’d abandoned in my mother’s kitchen — and sprinkle a generous drizzle on the pasta. I watched the pasta go from bright red to the dark brownish red that had been a mystery all the while.

The next time I was at a supermarket, I picked two bottles of soy sauce off the rack, and from that moment on, there was no going back. But I wasn’t alone in my culinary discovery.

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A culinary fraud

On Monday, December 19, Nigerians came across a whistleblower’s tweet raising concerns over the many versions of Amoy, a Japanese brand that had gained dominance in the Nigerian soy sauce market. The X user shared pictures of the product with altered spellings from prominent supermarkets and department stores in Nigeria.

The tweet would serve as a wake-up call to Nigerians who dashed to their kitchens to check their condiment racks. Pictures of soy sauce bottles with AMQY, AMOY’c and AMOYI, soon flooded the internet, with only a few boasting of the original product.

Amid the bigger conversation of the health and safety hazards to buyers of fake food products, other questions loomed: Why are Nigerians invested in soy sauce? What do they cook with it?” I had to find out.

Taiye discovered soy sauce through Nigerian food bloggers on Instagram and YouTube who all seemingly had a craze for stir-fry and gravy recipes.

“Since the food bloggers swore by it, I knew I had to stock up. I love anything stir-fry, so I use it for my stir-fried rice, spaghetti and noodles. It also gives a flavour that’s common to Asian recipes. And since most stir-fry recipes have an Asian origin, it made sense to me to use an ingredient they use to make the meal as authentic to the recipe as possible.”

“I started a stir-fry pasta and jollof rice business four months after NYSC but noticed something was off about the colour of the food I sold. Mine came out like the regular jollof rice and pasta, and I didn’t like it. I checked the pages of food vendors in Lagos who sold the same meals, and noticed the distinct colour of their meals. In their tutorials, they claimed soy sauce was the secret behind the colour, but I wasn’t convinced. Later, I visited a caterer friend in Lagos and saw her using it to cook. I didn’t bother to ask questions, but I returned to Abeokuta with packs of dark soy sauce. I can’t remember if I even got the real deal or one of the counterfeits. But that hack changed the game for my business before I shut it down to relocate,” Damilola, a food vendor said.

One thing is clear, for most Nigerians, soy sauce is first considered for the aesthetics it brings to meals above everything else.

“I knew it as an ingredient for seasoning, but I just never knew how to use it. It’s salty and doesn’t give the savoury sweetness you’d get from seasoning cubes,” Kehinde, a soy-sauce consumer, shared. “One day, I was going through my WhatsApp status and one of my male friends who loved cooking shared a picture of this wicked-looking stir-fry rice. I’d made stir-fry in the past, but it never had the colour I saw in my friend’s photo. I stormed his DM with a simple comment: “How did you get it to look this way?” His response? Soy sauce. And that was how I returned to this ingredient I once disregarded.”

Fake or original, is soy sauce safe?

Some Nigerians, who aren’t fans of soy sauce have questions about the risk factors of a condiment that’s seemingly high in sodium.

Here’s a breakdown of one tablespoon of soy sauce according to experts:

Calories: 8

Carbohydrates: 1 gram

Fat: 0 grams

Protein: 1 gram

Sodium: 902 mg

Just one tablespoon provides 38% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of sodium. Moderation is key and it is advisable to not pair the sauce with processed food. In Nigeria, where soy sauce is mostly combined with processed chicken franks and sausages, the health concerns raised are valid.

Since I rediscovered soy sauce during NYSC in 2018, my relationship with the condiment has been at a safe arm’s length. I’ve always known there was something much too salty about that sauce. It only makes a grand appearance in my kitchen the few times I’m in the mood for stir-fry pasta or rice. And with the current conversation surrounding fake products everywhere, I’m caught in a web of confusion. Do I check that I have the correct brand of Amoy in my cabinet or postpone till my next stir-fry craving jumps out sometime in 2024?

QUIZ: What Brand of Soy Sauce Are You?

Adeyinka Odutuyo

December 19, 2023

Chopist

Nigerian Food, nigerian recipes, Nigerians, soy sauce
It’s been a long AF week, but you finally made it to the club to unwind. When it’s time to dorime, the waiter shows up with a price list of alcoholic beverages. The prices choke, but you’re already here, so you proceed to spend an average civil servant’s monthly salary on one bottle of Azul. God, abeg.

But here’s where it gets weird. Before you even leave the club, you start to feel funny. Your head is spinning, you can’t breathe well, and it escalates to you throwing up everywhere. While this might sound like a premature hangover, you might actually be suffering from alcohol poisoning.

We asked alcohol connoisseur, Ayodele Dada, for tips to help alcohol lovers and nightlife entrepreneurs avoid the latter, and he had these to share.

Expensive doesn’t equal quality

A reduced price will raise immediate red flags and counterfeit alcohol sellers know this. Expect them to sell that fake bottle at the same price as the original. However, it’s important not to let your guard down. This should actually propel you to do a deep check, since you’re spending a fortune.

Look out for the seal/cork

Image: Vine Pair

If it’s broken, don’t drink it. If the cork pops off too easily and doesn’t snap when you twist to open it, it’s likely not the real deal.

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Pay attention to the branding

Just like Gucci becomes Bucci, Ferragamo becomes Ferragame or Adidas becomes Addadas in fashion, some fake bottles can be spotted by the name on them. Counterfeit alcohol dealers don’t care for brand-building, they want your money at the detriment of your health. So it’s important to check the carton, the bottle and the label closely. If it looks off in the slightest, it might be fake.

Take note of the stopper

Image: YouTube

If you’re keen on knowing on to spot fake alcohol, you should always pay attention to this. Most whisky and vodka bottles have stoppers to help you pour with caution. But if your drink stopper doesn’t work, then it’s fake. This isn’t even up for debate.

The dates are important too

People check expiry dates on drugs, snacks and more, but forget to do the same when it comes to alcohol. Always pay attention to manufacturing and expiry dates if you want to know how to spot fake alcohol. Some counterfeit vendors buy original bottles to repackage their fake alcohol. If the dates seem too far off, you most likely have a recycled bottle on your hands.

Ask for your drinks to be made in front of you

You shouldn’t be far away from the bartender when he’s mixing your cocktails or pouring your shots. Go an extra mile and politely ask to check their bottles for all of the items mentioned above. Chances are the club also missed these things during their quality control checks.

The difference is always in the taste

Alcohol lovers know how their favourite drinks taste because there’s a consistency that can’t be shaken off. Whisky has a unique taste that differs from brand to brand. Same as vodka, tequila and so on. If you catch a difference in the taste, no matter how minute, there’s a problem.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

December 12, 2023

Chopist, Drink

alchohol, clubbing, Nigerians, wine
Prices are up, from rent to transportation to food. It’s time to look for ways to spend wisely, so you can stay afloat.

Let’s start with how to eat like you deserve to in this economy.

Live with your parents

Your parents might make you pay for your mental health, but there’ll always be rice at home, and you’ll eat more for less.

Work at a restaurant

Your place of work is where you get your daily bread. When you work at a restaurant, it’s extra true because you don’t have to wait for the end of the month for for that daily bread. You can get it straight from the oven every day.

Buy a box of Domino’s pizza

If you order a medium classic pizza from the Domino’s Pizza app or website, it comes to you at 50% off, which means it’s basically free.

Live near your rich best friend

If you don’t have a rich best friend then get one. You don’t even have to live on the same street, the same state is just fine. This way, anytime hunger is about to eat you up from within, you can beg them to come see you and buy food on their way, or you could put a spoon in your back pocket and enter a bus to their house.

Move in with your partner

If you move in with your significant other, you’ve automatically cut your spending in half.

Which means you should find love today.

Have no shame

It’s now survival of the fittest, so you need to throw the small shame you have in the gutters and prep your nose to smell out all types of delicacies. If your neighbour is cooking jollof rice, carry your plate and spoon over to their house and beg for a taste like your life depends on it because it does.

Become a food critic

We suggest you start by tasting and critiquing the food your friend who’s a chef makes. From there, you can tour restaurants. You’ll have to pay full price when you’re starting up, but if you believe in the dream — eating for free — before the end of the year, restaurants would start sending you free food or offering you meals “on the house” when you walk through their doors. This one is called long term planning.

Chioma Munachi

November 16, 2023

Chopist
Burning Ram is just around the corner. If you haven’t gotten the memo, it’s not just an event; it’s a foodie’s dream come true.

We already told you to come with a wild appetite, but that’s not all. We’ve got some more interesting tips to help you navigate the culinary wonderland you’re about to witness on Saturday.

Class is in session, grab your note pads!

Have a mission

Remember, you’re coming to the mecca of meat, so there’ll be loads of fun activities to keep you occupied. As a true foodie, decide the experiences that are most important to you ahead of the day, to avoid stories like “When and where did that happen?”

Arrive early

Doors open at 12 p.m., and we don’t do African time. OG foodies also know arriving to the party early is the ONLY way to avoid missing out on any goodies.

Bring your takeout packs

We told you there’ll be lots to win, eat and drink. There’ll also be lots to take home, so bring your own takeout bowls, packs and bags to make this as convenient for you as possible.

Attend the grilling masterclass

How else can you convince your ops that you don’t just eat food, you also create mouth watering delicacies? Chez Ro will drop gems on the art of grilling the tastiest meat come Saturday.

And the suya tutorial

Imagine combining your new grilling knowledge with suya making, you’ll be unstoppable. But this will only be vivid imagination if you don’t make it a date with Chez Ro.

Remember to tease your tastebuds

We’ll be having some culinary Michael Jacksons at Burning Ram, so you better prepare to shock your mouths and bellies with all the not-so-popular meat recipes that’ll be up for free tasting.

Come with your clan

We’re not saying you cannot come alone o, but what’s better than one foodie? Three foodies eating together. Think about it. Nothing will be too expensive because y’all can split the bills.

And your tickets

But you already know all these cannot happen if you don’t have your tickets to Burning Ram. You still have time to fix up, so see you soon.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

November 9, 2023

Chopist

Burning Ram, Food festivals in Nigeria, meat festival, Nigerians
Christmas is in a couple of days. While the voice in your head might shout jollof rice, fried rice and salad in response, we urge you to consider other options this year.

You already eat one or the other every Sunday

You’ve spent the entire year eating jollof and fried rice. Now that 2023 is winding to a close, do you want to continue with that? Let yourself and your taste buds rest, we beg of you.

It’s a celebration

You made it through big 2023. It’s time to lay out an actual assortment of food and drinks and have a ball.

You have enough time

You have seven full weeks, all the time you’ll ever need to step up your cooking game and attend a Christmas class by a Guinness World Record holder herself.

Hilda Baci’s cooking class is just six days away, and you’ll get to learn over 160 recipes, five plating techniques, and let’s not forget the prizes you might win.

There are other types of rice

We understand that you, jollof rice and fried rice have an unbreakable bond. But we beg you to please allow the spirit of Christmas break whatever has joined the three of you together.

To showcase your culinary prowess

Think about it. What better chance will you get to test all the recipes you’ll learn from Hilda Baci’s Christmas cooking class on your unsuspecting family members?

Chioma Munachi

November 2, 2023

Chopist, Eat

christmas, christmas in nigeria, hilda baci
Hey there.

I’m heavily invested in you enjoying on a budget at Burning Ram, and that’s why I’m reminding you that we’ll stop selling early bird tickets tomorrow, October 31.

There’s no time o

Meaning, you have just about 24 hours to secure your spot at Nigeria’s biggest meat festival at the lowest cost possible.

At Burning Ram, you’ll get to sample different types of meat for free, engage in fun competitions and activities, and meet fellow food enthusiasts from across Nigeria.

It’s happening at La Madison Place Lekki, Lagos on November 11, and a little birdie told me you’d even get a 20% discount when you use LagRide as your transportation mode to Burning Ram.

Don’t wait till the price increases!

Get a Burning Ram ticket now

PS: Don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket too, if you’d like to stand the chance to win a live ram (or the cash equivalent).

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Tife Oni

October 30, 2023

Chopist, Inside Life

Burning Ram
Hey there, co-minister of enjoyment.

It’s just two weeks to Burning Ram, Nigeria’s biggest meat festival, but you haven’t gotten a ticket yet. Early bird tickets are ending soon, and prices increase from November 1. You probably like taking risks, but you shouldn’t leave this one to chance o.

You’re at risk of missing out on the experience of a lifetime. You won’t just have the opportunity to taste different meat for free; you’ll also get a chill space to hang out with friends, meet food enthusiasts from across Nigeria and experience exciting performances.

If you still have questions about Burning Ram, these answers will help:

What do I get by purchasing a ticket?

Your ticket grants you entry to the festival, where you will experience a variety of activities such as suya-making tutorials, grilling masterclasses, meat-tasting sessions, eating contests and meat-inspired arts and crafts.

Am I eating for free?

Your ticket grants you access to samples during meat-tasting sessions, competitions and workshops. However, full meals from vendors, exclusive dishes or drinks are not covered by the entry fee.

What if I don’t eat meat?

We got you. We’re working on getting some vendors who will offer vegetarian and vegan food options, so look out for those.

Now that we’ve answered your questions, shey you’ll buy a ticket? 👀

Get a ticket to Burning Ram

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Tife Oni

October 27, 2023

Chopist, Inside Life

Burning Ram
The last time we heard from Damilola Adeparusi, AKA Chef Dami, she was preparing for a 150-hour cook-a-thon to break the Guinness World Record (GWR) set by Hilda Baci.

The self-styled chef who has kept a low profile over the last few months is now in the news again after falling out with her pastor and spiritual guardian, Billion Dollars Prophet.

Here’s all we know about the situation which has taken a legal turn.

What happened?

On Thursday, October 19, Chef Dami shared an Instagram post, alleging that she’s been living in constant fear for her life since her cook-a-thon attempt.

Referring to her church members as “people of God”, Chef Dami claimed that they’ve repeatedly cursed, bullied and threatened her.

She wrote:

“‘By the time we are done with you, you will not be able to stand on your feet again.

‘This was from the acclaimed ‘people of God’. Among many of the countless insults, curses, threats and bullying.

‘Now, I understand the content of 1 Peter 4:17, Surely judgment will begin from the house of God.’”

In the post, she also claimed that her pastor and spiritual guardian, Adegoke Jeremiah AKA Billion Dollars Prophet of the Spirit World Global Mission, told her to “prepare for war”.

Hours after her call for help, Chef Dami shared a different post on her Insta Story channel where she raised an alarm and told the world to hold her pastor responsible if any harm comes to her.

A brief history of their relationship

On June 9, 2023, barely three weeks after Hilda Baci completed her Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest cooking marathon title, Chef Dami made her first Instagram post announcing her attempt to cook for 120 hours.

The announcement photo featured a prominent logo of her church, Spirit World Global Mission as official sponsor.

While people bashed Chef Dami and the religious institution for attempting to outshine Baci, that was not the church’s first cook-a-thon.

During a virtual interview, Chef Dami stated that she only embarked on the cook-a-thon after she was chosen by her “church people”. Her pastor, Adegoke Jeremiah, who also spoke during the interview revealed that the church had initially organised a 40-hour cooking competition where Dami and some other members emerged as finalists.

The success of the 40-hour stint encouraged the church to attempt an even bigger cook-a-thon considering the buzz and success of Baci’s attempt. The church set a goal for a new 120-hour cook-a-thon and unanimously chose Chef Dami to do the cooking.

“She just had everything we thought we’d need for anyone that will go that far, for 120 hours. It was not easy but we knew she had what it takes,” Jeremiah said during the interview.

While Chef Dami busied herself in the makeshift kitchen, other members of the church rallied support for her on social media.

After the cook-a-thon, Chef Dami and Pastor Jeremiah made several public appearances and she attributed the entire success to him during most of her interviews.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. I had the chance to sit with many dignitaries at the Ondo State Female Role Model Award Platform 2023. And just before I entered, I was presented with gift.😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/NEHdZSMXXe
— Chef Dammy (@dammypas) June 19, 2023

At Fresh FM Akure today for a short interview session.😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/vrY0wIEQr8
— Chef Dammy (@dammypas) June 16, 2023

Church members take sides

Shortly after Chef Dami’s recent call-out, WhatsApp screenshots purportedly belonging to members of the church surfaced on social media.

In the screenshots, members lashed out at Chef Dami and called her an ingrate.

A member of the church also accused Chef Dami of spewing lies against the pastor and charged her to provide evidence to back her claims.

“All she is saying are lies, let her provide evidence for claims! I have evidence for everything I am saying.”

A legal turn

Pastor Jeremiah responded to the allegations of threat to life by Chef Dami with a ₦20 million defamation suit.

In a court letter dated October 23, 2023, and signed by his lawyers, Bisayo Sule & Co Legal Practitioners, Pastor Jeremiah demanded a retraction of the defamatory statement on social media, publication on two widely read national dailies, and a payment of ₦20 million in damages.

“In view of the incalculable damage you have done to the good reputation of our client, we demand a retraction of the libelous statement on all the social media particularly your Instagram page, and two (2) widely read national dailies.

“Additionally, we are demanding a sum of (Twenty Million Naira Only).

“₦20,000,000:00 being damages for the act of defamation against our client.

Chef Dami was given a seven-day ultimatum.

Has Chef Dami responded?

At the time of writing this report, there’s been no response from Chef Dami to the lawsuit.

This is a developing story.

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 25, 2023

Chopist

cookathon, Nigeria, Nigerians
I wasn’t pleased with myself the last time I attended a jollof food festival. I got back home to see pictures and videos of all the other things my friends got up to. So, instead of giving comments like “Yes, this was fun,” “Let’s do this again,” and “Fire photo”, I was asking my friends “When? How did I miss all this?” Where was I?”

If you don’t want to be like me, I recommend holding these tips to your chest and taking notes before your next jollof festival.

Get adequate info before the day

In the wise words of philosopher Layi Wasabi, “Info l’eyan fin fo”. It’s important you check out the festival page or website and note all the activities planned for the D-Day. This way, you won’t be stuck at one spot when you get to the festival. You’ll know what is happening, when it’s happening, and you’ll be there.

Get all the free tastings

So that the next time someone wants to argue about the best jollof, you’ll tell them how you’ve tasted Nigerian, Ghanaian, Senegalese, Basmati, concoction, suya, designer jollof and you’re, in fact, a jollof rice connoisseur that appreciates all.

Watch the live cooking competition

If you don’t already know how to cook jollof that slaps, the festival ground is a place to jot things down. You’ll see some of your favourite chefs and food bloggers trying to make the best jollof. Your own is to pay attention and learn all their different styles and techniques. For example, some people fry their rice first.

Participate in cooking competitions

If your friends and family already swear by your jollof, the festival ground is an ideal place to sell your market. You don’t have to jot things down from your fav chefs. You simply need to compete and show them the stock you’re made of.

Film content

Content is king and you’ll get surplus when you attend a jollof festival. Just make sure to go along with your powerbank so you’ll get to record and snap all the Instagram-worthy moments without worrying about your phone battery. Bonus point: Go with two outfits and film enough content for one month.

Network and chill

Chances are, you’re already a foodie if you are at a jollof festival, and this means you get to meet other people like you. You guys can even share tips on how to get the perfect smokey-jollof or plan your next jollof rice date. Win-win.

Attend the festival

You can only carry out these fun activities when there’s an actual festival to attend. Luckily, Knorr is bringing back the Knorr Jollof Fest in Abuja.

This time, Knorr is encouraging everyone to “Eat for Good” and find ways to incorporate healthier options in their meals. Have you tried steamed veggies with jollof? It slaps.
Join other jollof lovers and food enthusiasts at Harrow Park, Abuja on October 28, 2023. There’ll be lots to eat and drink, games and fantastic prizes to be won. To be a part of this event, register on the Jollof Fest website. See you there!

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 24, 2023

Chopist

Jollof festival, Jollof RIce, Nigerians
The worst thing to hear at an owambe is, “Food has finished.” The second worst thing? Hearing meat has finished, and you have to eat party jollof with only your hopes and dreams.

Unacceptable.

Neither will be your fate at Burning Ram. We’re bringing you an exclusive celebration of Nigerian meat and barbecue culture on November 11 in Lagos, and it’ll be a full-on festival.

There are several ticket options available, so whether you plan to explore on your own or with your food-loving squad, you can save coins by getting an early bird special or one of the group tickets.

Remember, your ticket includes entry to the festival, where you will experience a variety of activities such as VRSUS competitions, suya-making tutorials, grilling masterclasses, meat-tasting sessions and meat-inspired art and crafts.

You can also enter our exclusive raffle with an additional ₦1000 and stand a chance to take home the ultimate prize of a live ram.

Why haven’t you gotten a ticket yet? Don’t wait until they sell out!

Get a ticket to Burning Ram

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Tife Oni

October 19, 2023

Chopist

Burning Ram, Food festivals in Nigeria, foodies
I recently took a short trip to an amala joint in the Onipanu area of Lagos. An IG influencer had visited the spot and raved about how good and, most importantly, affordable the food was. So, I carried my ₦1k to the place and even had an extra ₦500 in case I was tempted to splurge. After completing my order, my bill came to a staggering ₦3500. How can?

It turned out the protein servings gulped half of my bill, and while it looked like I’d splurged unnecessarily on meat, it now seems inconsequential compared to these individuals’ biggest food expenses.

Dayo*

I once visited a random amala spot in Ibadan during a work trip. It wasn’t one of the popular spots, but they had quite a crowd, indicating that they did something right. I didn’t think to ask about the prices when I ordered because I assumed everything there would be cheap. I mean, it’s Ibadan and it wasn’t a fancy spot.

I bought assorted, bush meat and goat meat along with semo. When I asked for my bill, the attendant said ₦7500. I wasn’t sure I heard correctly, so I asked again, and then she broke down the price of everything on my plate. Apparently, bushmeat sold for ₦2500, and I bought two.

Sesan*

I once took my friends out to an amala spot in Surulere. I’d just been promoted at work, and they insisted I celebrated. I chose the buka because I thought it’d be cheaper and I wouldn’t have to spend too much. Everyone got turkey, assorted meat and brokoto (cow leg) with their swallow of choice. The bill came, and it was around ₦25k. When I checked, about ₦18k of the total amount was the cost of meat. I paid, but I didn’t leave the place smiling.

Demola*

We had this family function in Ogun state sometime in 2022. Some of my mum’s friends arrived late when the caterers had already run out of meat. There was rice, amala and porridge, but nothing else to accompany it. I saw how distressed my mum was, and it was also quite obvious that the people that just arrived were hungry. I remembered I’d seen a suya guy setting up some blocks away from the event centre, so I went to buy from him. He was reluctant to sell his entire stock to me so I ended up buying ₦30k worth of suya.

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Jide*

I once hosted my birthday at a local nightclub back in uni. Most of the day was stressful because I had a series of tests and had to submit assignments. When I returned to the hostel, my friends dragged me to the club with a plan to have some drinks and suya.

Unfortunately, the suya guy didn’t come, and we were left with just drinks. The owner of the place overheard us grumbling, about this and mentioned that she had asun. I don’t know if it was the birthday excitement, hunger or just the alcohol talking, but I told her to bring the entire pot of asun. When we finished and asked for the price, the asun alone was ₦25k. I’m sure it wasn’t more than ₦10-15k asun in that pot, but I didn’t bother pricing. I paid, and we left. I woke up the following day remembering how stupid I was to squander ₦25k on mid asun.

Deji*

I was staying with a friend in Abuja for the festive season. I stepped out one night for a walk, and on my way back I saw this nice suya spot. I had ₦2k with me, which would’ve been more than enough to buy suya in Lagos. I got to this aboki and requested chicken suya. I heard him charge another guy ₦400 for two sticks of suya so I bought five sticks each for myself and my friend. When it was time to pay, this guy returned my ₦2k and said my money wasn’t complete.

I was confused until he explained a stick was ₦1k. He refused when I tried to return the suya, and insisted I paid. Baba collected his complete ₦10k. I ate the suya with an aftertaste of regret in my mouth.

John*

I’ll always tell anyone I know to hold money when you go to these bukkas in remote villages and ask questions about the meat. Last year during a work trip to Oyo, I and a friend had to split an unexpected ₦12k bill. Turned out they served an assorted mix of bush and antelope meat. Those things don’t come cheap.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 18, 2023

Chopist

Foodie, meat festival, Nigerians
Street food is a ubiquitous part of our culinary landscape, and for good reason. It’s delicious, affordable, and convenient. But more than that, street food is a cultural expression of our heritage and values.

From the akara seller on the corner to the suya stand down the street, street food vendors are the backbone of Nigeria’s culinary scene. They’re the ones who make sure that we always have a tasty and affordable meal option, no matter where we are.

On Independence Day, 3X4 Gourmet, a renowned food brand specializing in authentic African food, culture, and experiences, hosted the Lagos Street Food Celebration at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island. The event was an initiative to push Nigerian street food cuisine as the next frontier in the country’s cultural exports.

The Lagos Street Food Celebration was a resounding success with attendees enjoying a variety of delicious street food dishes representing the diversity and complexity of Nigeria and its people. The menu highlighted the evolution and globalization of Nigerian food, from traditional favourites like akara and moi moi to more modern creations like guinea fowl meatballs and Zobo-flavoured cocktails.

“We are thrilled with the success of the Lagos Street Food Celebration,” said Banke Makinde, founder of 3X4 Gourmet. “Our goal was to showcase the richness and diversity of Nigerian street food cuisine to a wider audience, and we are confident that we have achieved that goal. The event was a celebration of Nigerian culture and heritage, and we are grateful to all who attended and supported it.”

The event also featured cultural entertainment such as traditional dance performances and art exhibits by indigenous talents. The organizers collaborated with the curator to host a multi-sensory art exhibition that added a fun and interactive element to the event, showcasing the best of Nigerian street food culture.

One of the featured artists was Ahmed Abiodun whose sculptor “Chop Beta” was a captivating life-size sculpture installation that celebrated one of Lagos’ most beloved street snacks – Puff Puff. The Lagos Street Food Celebration was more than just a culinary event, it was also a celebration of Nigerian culture and heritage.

Banke continued, “I am so proud of what we accomplished with the Lagos Street Food Celebration. It was an incredible event that showcased the best of Nigerian street food cuisine and culture. I believe that Nigerian street food cuisine has the potential to be a major cultural export for Nigeria. It is delicious, diverse, and affordable. I am committed to continuing to promote Nigerian street food cuisine and helping it to reach a global audience.”

The Lagos Street Food Celebration is a showcase of Nigerian ingenuity and a sign that Nigerian street food cuisine is on the rise. With growing global interest in African culture, there is a growing movement to elevate Nigeria’s cuisine to the same status as other global cuisines and street food will be at the forefront of the push. Through 3×4 Gourmet’s initiative, Nigeria’s street food cuisine is being elevated and celebrated.

The event was sponsored by key organisations in the industry and beyond, including the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Bank of Industry, BUA Foods, and Flour Mills Nigeria, among others.

This cultural, multisensory celebration of our roots, art, and food will be one for the books. See more images from the day!

Partner

October 16, 2023

Chopist
One of the activities I anticipate at local food joints is choosing protein. Good ol’ beef hardly interests me; I crave the weird-looking parts that often surprise my taste buds.

Standing there, I ask the slightly-irritated amala seller, “What part is that? What about that one? Is that round-about? What about the one that looks plaited?” Occasionally, she’s fascinated by my curiosity; other times, her expression screams, “Uncle, wrap it up.”

If, like me, you often face a dilemma when confronted with a large pot of assorted meat parts, grab a note. There are lessons to learn.

Ponmo

Photo: BBC

People may argue that it is tasteless and lacks nutritional benefits, but ponmo is king. It’s processed cowhide/skin with a soft, chewy texture. Ponmo is served in sauces and pairs well as a side offering with Nigerian swallow.

Rib Cut

Source: Beef

This is meat found in the rib cage area of a red meat animal. You’ll often find it in upscale restaurants with fancy names like smoked barbecue ribs, honey barbecue ribs, etc.

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Oxtail

Many people get confused with this name, but this part is simply cow tail. It has a distinct flavour that slaps when used for pepper sauces, stew, and pepper soup.

Cow Foot (Brokoto)

Source: Abuja Food Delivery Mart

This portion of cow meat doesn’t come cheap. It can be boiled or fried and is popular among the Igbos as the preferred option for nkwobi. It often requires a lot of cooking time to soften it up.

Tripe

Source: Niyis

Also known as shaki, this is animal intestine. It has a rough and spongy texture that often requires a lot of cleaning. Shaki is mostly served in the company of assorted offerings and is a preferred protein option for ofada sauce.

Round About

Source: Nairaland

It’s a cow’s intestine shaped like a roundabout, hence the name. You’ll find it among the assorted offerings that come with amala or ofada sauce. It’s not a regular protein option, so it’s hardly bought as a standalone.

Liver

The gist is, your Nigerian fried rice is not complete if you don’t have liver cuts in it. It also comes along with assorted offerings for amala or ofada sauce. It’s best enjoyed fried.

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 11, 2023

Chopist

Foodie, meat festival, Nigerians
They might carry fancy names like suya melt, designer noodles and agege burger these days, but these suya recipes are rooted in the trenches.

Designer noodles

Source: Dobby’s Signature

As an undergrad student, noodles and eggs didn’t quite hit the spot for me, and I couldn’t afford to go all out and buy turkey or chicken as my protein option, but with as little as ₦200 suya, my noodle game took a straight zero to 100 spin. Find a full recipe here.

Agege bread suya

Source: Myactivekitchen

I remember visiting a friend once, and he went on and on about giving me a burger treat. Tell me why this brother showed up with agege bread? Anyway, he told me not to judge but to take a bite first. I did, and it was the best thing that entered my mouth that month. He’d sandwiched the bread with a rich serving of beef suya, yaji and mayo. Find a recipe here.

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Suya rice

Source: AnitaOkereke

I remember an older cousin making this when I was younger on days when we were home alone and couldn’t pull enough money for Mr Biggs. It was an elevated version of concoction rice, only with a generous serving of suya. These days, you’ll find bougie Lagos restaurants calling it “Designer Jollof” and charging through the roof. Find a full recipe here.

Suya Shawarma

Source: Sisi Jemimah

Suya is a cheaper filling compared to chicken franks or chicken breast. But the yaji spice has a way of elevating the taste of shawarma. Find a full recipe here.

Suya sauce

Source: Cookpad

Another trenches-inspired recipe, this sauce bangs when you don’t have enough money to cook a proper pot of stew with chunks of beef, chicken or turkey. A quick linkup with the maisuya on your street, and with ₦500 suya, pepper mix and seasoning, you’ll have yourself a tasty sauce for white rice or pasta. Find a full recipe here.

Garri and suya

Source: Scrollforth

The good ol’ unceremonious way of enjoying suya. You don’t need a recipe for this, just make sure you use mortuary-standard water for the garri. I may have added yaji spice to my garri for extra tinge, but that’s just the Yoruba in me.

Suya fried rice

Source: AromaArena

The trenches version of fried rice complements the absence of liver and shrimps with soulfully spiced chicken or beef suya. I fell in love with this recipe after ordering from a popular IG vendor, and I’ve never gone back. Find a full recipe here.

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival on November 11. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 10, 2023

Chopist

Nigeria, Nigerian Food, Nigerians, suya
My friends never agree with me when I argue with my full chest that there’s no beating turkey’s supremacy. It’s that meat that gives, whether you’re having it with swallow, rice or as a standalone grilled or peppered treat.

Since Artificial Intelligence (AI) claims to know all, I decided to put it to the test. I went to the almighty Chat GPT to help us rank the best meat for swallow in particular. While I can’t say I completely agree with this list, AI told no lies.

6. Goat meat

Source: Dooneyskitchen

If you can ignore the strong stench, Chat GPT might have a point here. Goat meat is bae, especially when you have it with white or black amala. But why does it have to be so expensive? A portion sells for as high as ₦500 – 1000 at local bukkas. Not a good spend when you consider the ponmo you’ll get at the same price.

My ranking: 3

5. Chicken

Source: Sisijemimah

How can? I completely disagree with this ranking. The only time chicken should show face on your plate is when it’s with rice, spaghetti or chips. If for any reason you choose to serve chicken with any Nigerian swallow, it should be deep-fried to a crunch and soaked in the pot of soup for three working days.

My ranking: 4

4. Beef Suya

Source: SisiJemimah

Sound ridiculous, but AI might be on to something here. Have you ever tried a generous serving of spicy suya with vegetable soup? It is a serve. However, by all means, avoid kilichi with any type of Nigerian swallow.

My ranking: 5

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3. Catfish or tilapia

Source: Dobby’s Signature

The focus is meat, but if AI insists we should include any type of fish in this list, then I’ll have to partially agree. I think the only acceptable way to eat catfish is to have it smoked to perfection or in a spicy pepper soup broth. Tilapia, on the other hand, is a serve with any Nigerian swallow.

My ranking: 6

2. Turkey

Source: Queenvarieties

This is your second reminder that this user is a shameless turkey stan who believes in the ultimate supremacy of turkey. Grilled, peppered, fried, boiled, it’s the one meat that goes with all swallow and all its varying servings.

My ranking: 1

1. Offal (Tripe, liver, kidney)

Also known as “inu eran”, there’s no 100% amala satisfaction without a generous serving of stewed offal. It’s the only way to enjoy the true amala experience, although I cannot say the same for other swallow offerings.

My ranking: 2

You’ll have your fill of grilled, peppered or fried meat and many more at Zikoko’s meat festival in November. Have you bought your Burning Ram ticket? You can do that real quick here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

October 4, 2023

Chopist

Foodie, meat festival, Nigerian Food, Nigerians
Can any self-respecting food lover really give themselves the “foodie” title if they haven’t done some form of culinary excursion? I mean, it’s not only about being able to differentiate between pounded and poundo yam.

That’s where we come in. By the time you experience these food festivals, you’ll be more than deserving of your “food lover” ID card.

Bole Festival

Whether you spell it as “bole” or “boli”, this should be the first stop on your food tour. You’d be surprised by the different bole recipes available. Warning: You may never eat it with groundnuts again.

Image: Bole Festival on X

Burning Ram

If you think about it, meat may be every food lover’s origin story. Almost all of us passed through a stealing-meat-from-the-pot phase — don’t even deny it. Burning Ram celebrates the Nigerian culture of meat and grill, and the best part? As of the date of publishing, you can still be a part of the 2023 edition.

New Yam Festival

Yam is the Nigerian staple, not jollof rice. How else do you explain how almost every state and tribe in the country has their own version of a New Yam Festival? For the Igbos, it’s typically celebrated after the rainy season in August, and referred to as “Iwa ji” or “Iri ji”. For the Yorubas, especially in Ekiti, it is termed “Odun Ijesu”. Irrespective of what tribe you celebrate with, you’re sure to find yam delicacies of all types, music, dance and masquerade displays at a New Yam Festival.

Image: The Guardian Nigeria

West Africa Food Festival

This festival is proof you don’t have to japa to expand your tastebuds. As the name implies, this festival involves celebrating the dishes and culinary culture of West African countries. The annual festival is typically held in the countries along West Africa, and 2022’s edition was in Lagos. It features food, competitions and wine tastings.

Image: Flickr

Lagos Seafood Festival

You might think you like seafood, but have you really had everything the sea has to offer if you haven’t eaten stuff like octopus or human-sized fish? The annual festival was rebranded to “Lagos Food Festival” in 2022, but you’re still sure to find interesting sea creatures when you attend.

Argungu Festival

The cultural festival has increasingly become associated with food, as it involves a fishing competition to catch the biggest fish. It happens in Kebbi over a four-day period every year and features agricultural showcases, musical performances as well as wrestling and swimming competitions.

The winner of the 2020 fishing competition was awarded ₦10m, two cars and two seats to Hajj. Excuse me while I go learn how to fish.

Image: The Nation

Calabar Carnival

Termed “Africa’s biggest street party”, the carnival celebrates the Cross River culture, but the cuisine is a huge part of it. It’s an annual four-day event that features a food festival of its own, with rich Efik cuisine, grills and drinks.

Image: The Whistler

Jos Food Festival

If you’ve ever entertained curiosity about what food on the Plateau tastes like, you might want to add the Jos Food Festival to your itinerary. It features indigenous food displays and local musical performances.

Image: Sunday Alamba

PS: You can’t have read up to this point without signing up for Burning Ram. Do it now.

NEXT READ: Like Boli, These Nigerian Meals Deserve Their Own Festivals

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Tife Oni

September 27, 2023

Chopist

Burning Ram, eat, Food, Food festivals in Nigeria, Inside life
Two Christmas celebrations ago, my IJGB friend (Dozie*) breezed into Lagos to spend one of his nights with me. Before then, he’d usually get excited whenever I shared pictures of suya or grilled turkey on my WhatsApp status, and every single time, our exchange would end with, “You must show me this life if I come Lagos o”.

Fast forward to the day we agreed to hang out, he got to the spot a few minutes earlier than I did (Lagos traffic na wa) and I told him to order before I got there. Tell me why I arrived to my IJGB friend battling creamy pasta and smoothie? *Criminally offensive bombastic side eye* If like Dozie you don’t know how to treat yourself at a Lagos nightlife spot, you should hold this list to your chest.

Goat meat pepper soup

Source: Sisi Jemimah

It’s unofficially the official Lagos nightlife meal, and honestly, I get it. Nothing beats the satisfaction of scooping broth with juicy meat pieces into your mouth and washing it with a long gulp of mortuary-cold beer.

Asun

Goat meat pepper soup is great but only when you don’t plan to down many bottles. That’s double work for your bladder and double trips to the restroom. But asun? The roasted goat meat sautéed in spicy habanero and red bell peppers comes in bite sizes that don’t fill you up too quickly. Be warned. You might find yourself ordering a dozen plates and spending more than you planned.

Pepper snails

Source: Low carbs Africa

This is probably the best way to enjoy snails. I don’t know what the secret recipe is at these night spots, but boy, do they get it right? The snails are big, juicy, spicy and soulfully flavoured. This might set you back several thousands sha.

Grilled turkey

Consider grilled turkey when you visit a nightlife spot with the potential LOYL or the IJGB friends you want to impress. They’re nice but expensive, with a piece selling for as high as ₦2500 – 3500.

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Suya

Suya’s versatility makes it my favourite on this list. Whether you’re looking to spend ₦500 or need a money-smart way to cater to a large gathering, it always delivers. And that’s not even the best part. With suya, you don’t have to go to a restaurant or bar. Just strike a badass deal with a random mai-suya on the streets.

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Roasted bushmeat

Source: The Green Palace

Also known as eran igbe, you won’t find it at your regular nightlife spots, but best believe when you do, you’ll pay through your nose and it’ll be totally worth it. Eran igbe is premium meat known for its distinct taste, aroma and nutritional value. It’s mostly available in villages, and that’s why the best pairing for it is palm wine.

Roasted Grasscutter

This is another premium meat that’s hard or expensive to come by in the big cities. While you can also enjoy this with any drink of your choice, palm wine is where the true magic is.

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Adeyinka Odutuyo

September 1, 2023

Chopist

Food in Nigeria, meat festival, Nigerians
I recently struck a bet with my friend, Ori Ejo, who was visiting Lagos for a couple of days from Osogbo. He went on and on about how we’re suffering in Lagos, paying the most for the most basic things. I couldn’t let that slander go.

Yes, I know Laygurss is expensive, but it’s not so bad that you can’t ball on a ₦5k budget.

So I told Ori Ejo I’d go on a ₦5k meat tour, and it’d be far better than what ₦5k will get him in Osogbo.

A little back story about Ori Ejo. He’s the friend in this article who crushed seasoning cubes on chunks of snake meat. Ori Ejo, which means “snake head” in Yoruba, became my nickname for him after I discovered his love for snake meat.

Now, what do you get for ₦5k on the streets of Lagos? First off, erase any idea of private cabs for this mini adventure. But it’s not like okadas and keke maruwas are cheap these days, no thanks to the fuel subsidy removal.

My take-off point was the popular Olosha market in Mushin because there was no way I’d miss out on linking up with my meat plug. He has the best ponmo deals that fit right into my ₦5k budget. I got a decent cut for ₦800 and was left with a balance of ₦4000 — after paying ₦200 for t-fare.

Next was this barbecue spot around Shitta Underbridge in Surulere. I used to eye this spot a lot because there was always a long queue of people trying to buy from them, and that meant they had to be doing something right. Tell me why I got there and these guys wanted to charge ₦3000 for barbecued chicken and chips. I mean, it’s a fair price, but I expected a cheaper deal for a street spot. ₦3k would’ve done serious damage to my budget, so it was a no-no.

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But you see, the beauty of Layguyrss is you’ll always find something. What did I find in this instance? Grilled chicken franks. I didn’t even know this was a thing, but it looked so good, I had to try it. It was just ₦300 for a stick. I bought two.

I knew this my waka wouldn’t be complete without suya and turkey, but I also knew it’d be hard to get both on a ₦3k budget. This is where connection comes in. Sorry to break it to you, but you cannot go far in Lagos without connections. It doesn’t even have to be people in government. You also need to know people in the streets to amp up your street cred.

To cut the long story short, I hopped on a bus to Aguda, where my brother had a turkey grill spot. I mean, I wasn’t even supposed to pay but I had an agenda that needed to agend. I sweet-talked my brother into selling a piece of turkey wing for ₦1500. The going rate would have been ₦2k.

I was running out of cash and knew it was time to head back home. But not without suya. I had a plug, Bello, just outside the LUTH gate in Idi-Araba, and he was the perfect person to wrap up this waka. My ₦1500 got me a stick of chicken suya at ₦500, beef suya at ₦400 and ₦200 masa.

I gagged Ori Ejo when I returned home, but it wasn’t because his point about Lagos being expensive was wrong. I was just street-smart.

Now, who wants to give me ₦100k to properly eat all the meat I want at the Burning Ram meat festival in Laygurrrsss?

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Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 31, 2023

Chopist

Food in Nigeria, meat festival, Nigerian Food, Nigerians
Finding the best suya spots in Lagos can be a real hassle because so many sellers set up shop without even the basic understanding of the traditional recipe.

But if you want to feast right and give your mouth a treat, these spots should be on your radar; they steadily deliver. You might have to spend extra coins, but at least, you’ll get your money’s worth.

University of Suya

Are you even a true Lagosian if you don’t know the University of Suya (Faculty of Meatology)? This spot is popular for being one of the first to make suya selling a full-time business. Forget what they say about the best suya being sold at night. These guys will satisfy your craving even in broad daylight, and it’ll probably be the best you’ve ever had.

Address: NO 113, ALLEN AVENUE, IKEJA

Arisco Suya

My mum was once on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) when I discovered this spot while looking for food. I saw a long queue and curiously approached to see what was going on. Turns out everyone wanted to buy suya, and I just knew that if people were willing to brace the scorching sun, it couldn’t be for anything regular. I was right! I don’t know how they do it, but the suya melts right into your mouth and doesn’t leave you chewing for so long. They specialise in beef and chicken suya.

Address: Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ishaga Rd, Idi-Araba

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Glover Court Suya

While the mainland has University of Suya, Glover Court does the Lord’s work for suya lovers who reside on the island. Nestled in the highbrow area of Ikoyi, this is one suya spot in Lagos that’ll have you paying above the average price, but it’ll be worth it. They serve a variety of suya delicacies including beef, kidney, tozo, liver, shaki, chicken and gizzard suya.

Address: 37 Glover Rd, Ikoyi

Sooyah Bistro

The Banky W-owned Sooyah Bistro is the plug for suya lovers who enjoy a little razzmatazz and drama with their suya. They serve a variety of traditional beef and chicken suya, but also have options like suya burger, suya crepe, suya spaghetti and rice, suya toast and suya shawarma. Sooyah Bistro also has branches across the mainland and island.

Check out Sooyah Bistro locations here.

Bukka Hut Suya

Bukka Hut is a restaurant known for serving local cuisine, but it has a wing that caters to suya lovers. Apart from their bestselling chicken and beef suya, they have asun, grilled fish, boli and shawarma. They offer delivery and have branches on the mainland and island.

Check out Bukka Hut locations here.

Lomo Suya

Lomo is one of the best suya spots in Lagos Mainland where you can find the real deal. You’ll always find people lined up waiting to buy suya, whether it’s in the day or night. Apart from their chicken and beef suya offerings, they sell roasted guinea fowl, masa and pre-package yaji spice.

Address: Opposite MKO Abiola Garden, Alausa.

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Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 23, 2023

Chopist

Nigeria, Nigerians, suya
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is great on its own, but variety is the spice of life. Sometimes, it’s good to do a little mix and match with your liquor. We’ve taken a look at the ingredients in our fridge, and put together a list of things you can pair with your favourite whiskey to get the best cocktails.

Sweet chili peppers and lemonade

Yes, Nigeria might be showing you pepper and leaving a sour taste in your mouth, but we promise this drink won’t. Mix the sweet chili peppers and lemons for a spicy, sharp base, and pour in your lemonade and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey.

Recipe:
- Rim your glass: Take a slice of lemon and rub it around the edge of a highball glass and then dip into Tajin to coat the top of glass.
- Next, add three-five slices of sweet chilli pepper into the glass. Now, muddle the pepper to squeeze out some of its juices.
- Put a few slices of lemon into the glass and fill with ice.
- Then, add two ounces Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, and fill glass with lemonade.
Lemon juice and mint leaves

Elevate your cocktails by adding lemon juice and mint leaves to your Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey. All you have to do is add everything into a shaker with some ice and watch your little effort yield the best results.

Recipe:
- Fill half of a cocktail shaker with ice, then add six-eight mint leaves, half an ounce of lemon juice, half an ounce of a simple syrup, and two ounces of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey.
- Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds, then strain liquid into a glass with crushed ice.
Ginger

If you like spice but just can’t see yourself adding sweet chilli peppers to your liquor, then this is for you. Don’t worry, you won’t have to put actual ginger into your glass of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey. All you need are ginger mixers – any ginger drink you can lay your hands on or the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey ginger perfect serve value pack, and you can give your drink that spicy kick.

Recipe:
- Fill 3/4 a glass with cubed ice.
- Pour Jack Honey over ice then top with Schweppes ginger.
- Stir gently for 10 seconds and add lime wedge to garnish.
Apple juice

If you have a sweet tooth, then this is for you. Apple juice pairs well with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey for a sweeter taste with a fruity undertone.

Recipe:
- Pour the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey into a glass filled with ice, then add apple juice and stir.
- Fill to the top with more ice and garnish with an apple wedge.
Sprite

If you’re a big fan of Jack and Coke, but you want your drink sweeter and lighter, then this is for you. Add a lemon wedge to this, and enjoy your drink.

Recipe:
- Pour Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey in an ice-filled glass.
- Add Sprite to taste then garnish with a lemon slice.
Chioma Munachi

August 23, 2023

Chopist, Drink

cocktails, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Whisey
For a meal that’s a simple mixture of butter, flour, yeast and sugar, bread is the GOATed delicacy — yes, delicacy — man has ever made.

Nothing comes close to bread. You can make it on a stove or in an oven, it comes in different shapes and sizes, and you can pair it with literally anything and it’ll slap harder than a giveaway in this agbado era.

Egusi

Image sourced from foodrythms

People might look at you sideways as you carefully spread your egusi on a thick slice of bread, but that shouldn’t concern you. They’ll never understand the greatness of such a pairing.

Beans of any kind

Image sourced from guardian.ng

Do you know how bad you have to be to go into a family and marry all the members? The only person that comes close was Esau’s brother, Jacob, and we all know how much God loved him. Give it akara, ewa aganyin, palm oil beans, vegetable oil beans, and if you’re a real risk taker, gbegiri.

Stew

Image sourced from mydiasporakitchen

If you can eat swallow and soup, then you can eat bread and stew. Make sure there’s an excess amount of protein in your stew, fold that bread, and eat to your heart’s content.

Banana

Image sourced from medicalnewstoday

If you can eat banana bread, then you can slice a banana, place it between two slices of bread, and eat.

Pepsi

Image sourced from nextcashandcarry

Notice how we singled Pepsi out from its counterparts? Bread and all the other sodas are great, but bread and Pepsi? Your inner bricklayer will awaken, and you’ll feel like you can move mountains.

Avocado

Image sourced from jessicagavin

Even though avocados look the way they do, we believe in the power of bread to make anything taste better than rice on a Sunday.

Amala

Image sourced from africanfoodnetwork

We need you to have an open mind. People have attested to the greatness of this pairing. Plus, amala looks like chocolate.

I mean, I have spread amala on bread and toasted it before, so really, impossible is nothing. https://t.co/4vw1W31IYp
— Oriaku (@galscoutzkukiz) August 18, 2023

Indomie

Image sourced from breakthespice

If you plan on pairing cooked Indomie with bread then you have stand in front of the stove, take the indomie straight from the pot to the bread and into your mouth. It’ll slap so hard you’ll give testimonies for weeks to come.

Ice cream

Image sourced from swasthi’srecipes

Think of it like bread and tea. Tear large chunks of bread into your bowl of ice cream, wait for it to steep, and then, scoop into your mouth.

Egg

Image sourced from bakerpedia

One thing about bread, it’ll find other versatile foods and pair up with them. Bread and egg bangs, especially on a Saturday morning with a hot cup of tea to wash it down. And guess what. It can sleep with the mother too *wink.

~~Anointing~~ Olive oil

We told you bread was for everyone — even the godly among us. Drizzle a light amount on your bread, let it soak in for a bit and eat. It’ll taste like a symphony in your mouth.

Chioma Munachi

August 22, 2023

Chopist, Eat

bread, Food, food combinations
While suya, beef kebab and catfish pepper soup are doing the Lord’s work, there are other lesser-known meat delicacies that should be on your radar.

If you haven’t tried any of these meat recipes, you’re depriving your tastebuds of the sweet things of life, and honestly, why that?

Dambu nama

The first time I had dambu nama was at a friend’s family home in Osogbo. His dad came home from Kaduna that weekend with it, and it was served as a side with rice. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it tasted good and chewy just like meat. My suspicions were right when I asked my friend.

Dambu nama is a popular delicacy in northern Nigeria, and it’s essentially spicy shredded meat. However, unlike the common shredded meat for stir fry recipes, the dambu nama meat is shredded so thin it feels like cotton candy floss. It can be made with cow, ram or chicken meat. Full recipe here.

Ngwo ngwo

This is a goat offal pepper soup delicacy from the eastern parts of Nigeria. It’s made from a goat’s innards: the liver, kidney, heart, spleen, tripe, and sometimes, bits of flesh. It’s similar to nkwobi (cow feet), but the difference is in the parts used for the delicacy. Find a complete recipe here.

Chicken yassa

As a certified onion hater, I once watched in horror as a chef on Food Network sliced up three large bulbs of onion on chicken cuts. I couldn’t understand why a recipe needed so much onion, but that was the first time I heard about chicken yassa. A year or two later, I watched a Nigerian food blogger recreate the recipe, and it didn’t seem like a bad idea at all. Chicken yassa is a Senegalese dish made with chicken, caramelised onions, lemon and a mix of spices. This is the complete recipe.

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Salted meat (eran oniyo)

Salted meat AKA “eran oniyo” is a Muslim meat recipe that stemmed from preserving ram/cow meat with salt during sallah. All that heavy salt coating gives the meat a different taste than meat preserved in the freezer or by frying. Salted meat is best enjoyed with egusi soup, yam pottage or stews.

Liver sauce

If you can stomach the idea of liver in your sauce, then you’ll have no problem going bigger with a liver sauce recipe. Apart from the fact that it’s a healthy meal packed with iron supplements, you’ll also give your taste buds a treat. Liver sauce can be enjoyed with rice, spaghetti or eaten alone. Find the liver sauce recipe here.

Shoko

Jollof rice isn’t the only meal we Nigerians share with our Ghanaian neighbours — I raise you shoko. Although the name is similar to the popular Yoruba vegetable soup “efo shoko”, this West African beef stew is slightly different. Shoko is prepared with amaranth leaves, tomatoes and a generous amount of beef. The seasoning spices introduce a delicious flavour to the beef. You can enjoy this sauce with rice, plantain or fufu. Find a full recipe here.

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Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 21, 2023

Chopist

Food in Nigeria, nigerian recipes, Nigerians
If you’re up-to-date with the Lagos Owambe scene, you’d know that jollof rice, fried rice and abula have lost their collective claim of being the life of the party. Heavy isale-eko sigh.

Source: Instagram/Owambespicey

These days, party guests are after the small chops, colourful cocktails, and most importantly, grilled turkey wings. I caught up with an owambe grill vendor to ask one question: How can I make this turkey in the comfort of my home? He had some answers for me.

Get a “confam” plug for big turkey wings

“You won’t get the satisfaction you want with bite-size turkey wings, so it’s important to go for the big ones. However, traders prefer to sell the small sizes to the JJCs while they reserve the big sizes for their OG customers. If you have a trusted plug, you’ll get a good one. And make sure it’s properly frozen.”

Barkono pepper is bae

“Pepper is expensive, so you can improvise using barkono pepper. It’s available at the local market, but you have to grind it into a powdery form after buying. It gives your turkey wings a reddish/golden brown colour and packs moderate heat.”

Marinating is important

“The longer you marinate it, the tastier your grilled turkey will be. Because I take large orders, I try to keep it to an hour or two, but you can marinate overnight and store it in the fridge if you aren’t in a rush. This is the best way to let all that seasoning sip into your turkey wings. For your marinade, add some seasoning cubes and spices to your dry pepper mix, salt and vegetable oil, and you’re good to go. You can also add BBQ sauce if you want.”

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Toss and turn from time to time

Source: Instagram/Owambespicey

“Burnt turkey has a bitter taste that can ruin the overall experience. So, it’s important to stay with your grill like it’s dodo you’re frying. If you look away for a short while, you might end up with burnt turkey. This is also the best way to ensure both sides are evenly cooked.”

Start with a checklist

“You don’t want to get halfway in before remembering you need a picker, for example; you’ll end up with burnt turkey wings. Before you start, check your charcoal supply, get an apron, wear gloves. Put everything you need together to avoid leaving the grill area.”

Always have a side

“Not saying you can’t have the turkey alone, but with sides, you’ll be on a whole different level of vibes. The owambe way to go is fried yam, plantain or sweet potato with pepper sauce and coleslaw.”

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Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 19, 2023

Chopist

lagos owambe, nigerian recipes, Nigerians, turkey
I visited a friend once and almost had a panic attack when I saw him crush seasoning cubes over large chunks of snake meat. He’d killed it earlier and decided to make himself a pot of soup — a norm in his family.

Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to eat it because of my granny’s stern warning: “We don’t eat snake in this family.” Granny never explained why, but many have their own unspoken meat consumption taboos. I got some people to share theirs with me today.

“I’ve never had chicken anus” — Goke*

Growing up, my granny lived with us and did a lot of the cooking because my mum had to go to work. Whenever she sent us to buy a full chicken, she was always like, “Tell them to take out the anus when they’re cutting it.” I always followed her orders even though I didn’t know why. I didn’t really care. Then one time, my cousin went to buy the chicken because I wasn’t around, but he forgot to tell the seller to take out the anus. Granny made a fuss, so I had to ask what would happen if we ate the chicken’s anus. That was when she said it turns you into a gossip, and you’ll keep talking about people even when you’re not asked. I found that ridiculous, but now, it’s a part of my ritual, to never eat a chicken’s anus.

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“It’s forbidden to consume pork meat as a Muslim” — Qudus*

In all my 27 years on earth, I’ve never eaten pork meat. I come from a strong Muslim background, and my dad doesn’t joke with matters of the deen. I’ve not done any personal research, but from sermons I’ve heard at the mosque, pork is gotten from pigs, and that makes it haram (forbidden) for Muslims. Pig is considered an unclean animal because it consumes dead animals, and sometimes faeces. Consuming an animal like that will make you spiritually impure. I’ve heard there are exceptions for extreme starvation or when forced to consume it, but I’ve never been in any of those situations.

“My grandmother doesn’t eat ram meat” — Boboye*

During Christmas, one of my uncles bought a ram for the celebrations. That was when my grandmother mentioned that she couldn’t consume it. I know it has something to do with her lineage. Some old people have idol-worshipping backgrounds — na civilisation turn them to Christians. She always warns us about “ewo idile”, a set of taboos peculiar to different families. Her children are free to consume what they like sha. I just think it’s a personal belief she held on to despite her conversion to Christianity.

We’re throwing the biggest meat festival in Lagos. Grab your tickets to Burning Ram here.

“I don’t eat the meat of any animal I killed” — Emmanuel*

I’d rather eat frozen chicken than eat a chicken I killed or watched people kill; the blood and butchering throw me off-guard. I won’t even eat from the soup or stew made with the meat. After watching the animal struggle until they die? Yeah… I’m not eating that. It’s difficult to process seeing them alive in one moment and dead in the pot in the next. I also can’t eat certain parts of an animal. I once bought frozen chicken and saw some part of the head was still on it; I asked that they cut it off.

“My husband doesn’t eat duck meat” — Adeola*

I once tried to recreate a duck curry recipe I saw on Instagram, and it didn’t go well. I got home that evening, and my husband, who loves snooping around when I return with groceries, saw the pack of duck meat I got from Shoprite. He flared up, but I wasn’t having it because in all our years together, he’d never mentioned anything about not consuming duck. I asked why, and he explained that it was a ground rule in his family growing up in Benin. Apparently, witches shapeshift into ducks. I made the recipe and ate it alone.

“It’s a tradition not to consume crab meat in my house” — Toba*

I’ve never been able to eat crab meat since I was a child. If there’s crab in any of my meals, best believe I’ll throw up all day. Maybe I have some kind of allergy. It’s the same with crayfish and prawns, but I can still manage those ones on rare occasions. Now, my wife knows not to buy crab when she’s making soup. Even my kids know that daddy doesn’t like crab, so I imagine them growing up and coming up with their own stories of why they can’t eat crab. Lol.

“My grandma forbids donkey meat for us” — Paul*

I don’t think there’s any type of meat I can’t consume. I love trying out different meals. However, my grandma has warned us several times against eating donkey meat. According to her, it’s used to carry corpse and is known for heavy suffering. Anyway, I’ve not seen donkey meat to eat anywhere, so I’ve never been in a position where I had to contemplate eating it or not.

We’re throwing the biggest meat festival in Lagos. Grab your tickets to Burning Ram here.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 18, 2023

Chopist

Funny, meat festival, nigerian recipes, Nigerians
Hello friends of Zikoko,

The last time we chatted, I was waxing lyrical about the hottest women’s festival in Nigeria, HERtitude. And if you were among the 1,500 women who showed up, you know Zikoko delivered the hottest festival for the hottest women in Lagos.

Today, I bring you a Zikoko festival in the works since 2019: Burning Ram.

Burning Ram is a meat festival bringing you and other food enthusiasts, creators and curators together to celebrate the Nigerian culture of meat and grill. We’re inviting you to enjoy the best suya, kilishi, asun, burgers, and interesting takes on common Nigerian meat snacks on September 30, 2023.

Why is Zikoko doing this?

The short answer: for your enjoyment.

You must enjoy

The better answer: A conversation around the lack of African cuisine representation in global conversations is brewing, and Burning Ram is our response. We’re elevating the world’s perception of food, one African dish at a time, by bringing together 3000 people to experience a world of expert grilling, spicing and meat.

Burning Ram is not just an event about meat; our goal is to become pioneers of innovation, conversation and new experiences around African cuisine, starting with meat in Nigeria. Changing perceptions and appreciating a culture’s cuisine is a gradual process, and it starts with one plate, one dish, and one experience at a time.

This is a big goal, and yes, we need your help to make it happen.

Why should you attend Burning Ram?

If you love having a good time with your friends and family. If you love meat — from suya to kilishi that tastes like a rainy evening in Abuja. If you’re not afraid of trying new things, like akara burgers, then you should only be at Burning Ram on Saturday, September 30.

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What to expect at Burning Ram

We promise you a spectacle. The festival will feature various activities including firebreather performances, eating contests, cooking competitions, tutorials, and music. Food lovers will have an opportunity to try out different types of meat in one place.

Fans of Zikoko VRSUS will also enjoy the Suya VRSUS Wars, which will feature a culinary chef versus a mallam. A suya-making tutorial class is another activity that participants can look forward to at the festival.

We’re also running a raffle draw where one lucky attendee will win an actual ram. Yes, you read right. An actual live ram won to be prepared by experts and sent to the winner.

Be the first to get more details about these activities and find out when ticket sales begin by signing up here.

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

Burning Ram is bringing together over 3000 food enthusiasts, chefs, families, students, professionals, tourists and more. To share a part of this vision, kindly reach out to us here.

How do you become a vendor?

You want to showcase your take on meat and everything that can be paired with it at Burning Ram, then register as a vendor, and we’ll be in touch in a couple of weeks.

Burning Ram promises to be an exciting festival for food lovers and meat enthusiasts. Come hungry.

Ruth Zakari

August 18, 2023

Announcements, Chopist, Eat

Burning Ram, festival, meat festival, Zikoko Festival
I’m not sure who’s in charge of these things, but it’s about time we wrap up the boli, jollof and ofada rice festivals. Before you crucify me, I’m all for celebrating our local cuisines, but let’s be real, are these the OG meals that hold us down?

On your broke and tired AF days, did you go running after firewood jollof or ofada rice with assorted beef? I don’t think so. These are the meals we need to give their flowers from now on.

Garri

Nigerians go on and on about how garri has been a lifesaver since time memorial, but not one person has considered throwing a festival for this meal? Come on now. It’s giving selective favouritism. We need to throw a huge festival of garri lovers for this versatile staple. I mean, it gives us eba, garri cake, garri soup, good ol’ soaked garri with groundnut and more.

Agege bread

Source: K’s cuisines

Right after garri as a lifesaving Nigerian staple is agege bread. I can’t count how many days I didn’t know what to eat and agege bread came through — the hot, fluffy and brown type that soaks up the butter after each spread. We need a festival that’ll have the best agege bread, aganyin beans and akara sellers on ground.

Beans

Source: Playfoodbyyinka

People can act like they don’t give a shit about beans, but in the grand scheme of things, this is one Nigerian staple we can’t seem to do without. Gbegiri, akara, ewa aganyin, moi-moi, beans porridge, beans and corn… do I need to keep going, or can you see the range?

Agbado

At least, we’re sure to get government sponsorship with this one. Our president may roll his eyes at other meals on this list, but we know where his heart is when it comes to maize. We’re living in the agbado season. What better way to celebrate this staple than with an agbado festival? From roasted corn and coconut to buttered corn to boiled corn and ube to beans and corn, the meal options at the festival will be surplus.

Poundo yam

I’ve got a strong feeling that classism is the only reason why we’ve singled out amala to be celebrated out of all the Nigerian swallow offerings. Poundo yam should be that guy. Easy to make, no weird smell and goes well with all the soups you can possibly think of. We’ll just need festival attendees to show up and show off the best soup from their tribes.

Suya

My question is, how did dodo and Ofada rice get their own festivals before suya? Remember all the nights when you needed a chewy protein to accompany your garri, noodles or concoction rice? Suya was there. We’ll change suya’s story soon.

We’re here to change suya’s story. Burning Ram, our latest upcoming meat festival, will give this GOATed meal its flowers.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 15, 2023

Chopist

food fest, Nigerian Food, Nigerians, suya
Femi Aluko, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Chowdeck announced today that Chicken Republic will be integrated into the delivery service’s ecosystem as a new restaurant partner.

L-R: Femi Aluko and Mr Kofi Abunu at Chicken Republic, Spintex Road, Accra

Chowdeck, Africa’s fastest growing on-demand online food and grocery delivery service successfully delivers hundreds of thousands of orders monthly, and through this landmark partnership, it will strengthen Chicken Republic’s commitment to providing affordable meals for the everyday Nigerian through its stellar logistic operational capacity, ensuring ease and comfort for customers and the restaurant.

Mr Kofi Abunu, Managing Director of Food Concepts Plc, said “We are greatly impressed by Chowdeck’s rapid industry growth and its well-established reputation for consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences. As a customer-focused brand, it is crucial for us to align with partners who prioritise the customer at the core of their operations, particularly in addressing the last mile challenge. This partnership holds significant importance as we join forces with a proudly Nigerian brand to tackle this issue.”

Customers of Chowdeck can now order from over 90 stores, with more to be onboarded in the following weeks. Chicken Republic’s restaurant outlets span across various cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan. Meals can be purchased and delivered without hassle via the Chowdeck mobile application, available on the Web, App Store and the Google Play Store.

Femi Aluko said “through our partnership with Chicken Republic, we are one step closer to our dream of ensuring that every Nigerian is able to access our service, and enjoy high quality, affordable meals, wherever they are in the country.”

“We are thoroughly excited for the rapid expansion we are set to experience in the next few months, particularly within our newest cities, Ibadan and Port Harcourt. With 90% of all our orders currently delivered under an average of 24 minutes, our logistics operation schematics are resilient, battle-tested and trusted. We are confident that the major operational difficulties faced by former delivery partners will be a tale of the past. We are eager to welcome Chicken Republic to its new, technologically advanced and enabled future of logistics. We are keen on adhering to the Chowdeck promise – delivering happiness, one meal at a time”

About Chowdeck

Chowdeck is Africa’s leading on-demand online food and grocery delivery service. With operations spanning across several cities in Nigeria including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Ibadan, Chowdeck serves thousands of customers monthly, delivering meals, groceries, and medicine with ease, alleviating the burden of long queues and waiting times.

Chowdeck was founded in October 2021 by Femi Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf.

For more information, please visit Chowdeck.com, or contact Denise at denise@chowdeck.com.

About Chicken Republic

Established in 2004, Chicken Republic, a proudly Nigerian brand, is the leading quick-service restaurant chain in West Africa, with over 300 stores spread between Nigeria and Ghana. Chicken Republic is a part of the Food Concepts Plc group, which also includes Pie Express, Nigeria’s leading confectionery chain, and Chopbox, a casual dining restaurant chain serving authentic Nigerian cuisine.

For more information please visit Foodconceptsplc.com.

Partner

August 4, 2023

Chopist
Food pairing events are known for three things: Free food, great drinks and good vibes. So, when the Singleton Tribe stormed Abuja over the weekend, we knew we’d learn a few tips and tricks on how to properly faaji with friends.

Good food

In this age of FaceTime and video calls, rest assured people are not getting dressed and leaving home just to look at your face. The food must be surplus, and every bite must slap.

Baffs

Speaking of, drip is a lifelong commitment for some of us. Yes, the invite says casual but in a time when fuel is gold, if I’m showing up, I’m showing OUT, thank you very much.

A bonding activity

Think of creative ways to set the tone for a chill and casual occasion. It could be conversational card games or a planting session, if you’re bougie like that. Your guests will probably be more than happy to become plant mums and dads together.

More food because who no like better thing?

If you’re feeling a little playful, you can blindfold your guests for that element of mystery. Mysterious boys and girlies, take note.

The booze that brings everyone together

What’s a good turn-up without The Singleton? Abuja was a vibe on Sunday, July 23rd when the capital city’s hottest creatives got to unwind and bond over good food, music and games with The Singleton.

Want to be a part of the next Singleton Tribe experience? Follow @thesingletonngr on Instagram and look out for the latest updates.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 3, 2023

Chopist

Food, Funny, Nigerians
It’s getting harder to enjoy the simple things of life in Nigeria, so we really need Jagaban to do something fast about the food inflation problem.

Chicken, turkey and beef have now become optional in a lot of homes, with some people saving it for special occasions only. God, abeg. Things are THAT bad, and that’s why this article exists.

Eggs

You might not get the chewy and juicy satisfaction that beef or turkey gives, but at least, protein deficiency will have nothing on you. Bonus point if you deep fry your boiled eggs and soak them in the stew.

Ponmo

Don’t go for the regular type. Ask the market traders for “white ponmo”. It’s tastier, cleaner and sometimes comes with small chunks of beef! You should also season and boil properly before throwing in your soup.

Round fish (panla)

Think of how garri saves life, and you’ll come to truly appreciate this fish. With ₦1000, you can get five to eight pieces, depending on the size and market you’re buying from.

Dry red prawn

Source: 24 hours market

Best for when you’re making budget soups like ogbono, okra or egusi. A small peak milk tin of them sells for ₦500 – ₦700.

Crabs

Source: Alice

Forget the expensive price points at restaurants and fast-food joints, crabs are one of the cheapest seafood options in the market. A thousand naira worth might even be too much for a family.

Dried crayfish

Source: Market NG

You might not get anything to chew on, but this will elevate the taste of your vegetable, ogbono or egusi soups.

Chicken feet

Source: Simply Recipes

Forget the bad PR, this is actually a great protein option you should consider whether you’re on a budget or not. The major key here is to clean and season properly.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

August 1, 2023

Chopist

Nigerian Food, nigerian recipes, Nigerians, protein
Nigerians always get creative in finding new and hilarious coping mechanisms when our leaders show us shege pro-max unprovoked, which is all the time.

A tray of groceries, chocolate crunchies, floating berries, sweetener and white caramel

In case you’ve heard your friend or neighbour using the phrase “floating berries and groceries” loosely on Twitter, it’s not because they’re rich. Let’s bring you up to speed real quick.

Grocery

The most popular of the bunch, grocery in Jagaban’s Nigeria is simply the new name for garri.

Floating berries

Our sense of humour will always get us through the tough times because tell me why this is the new name for groundnut. Tears!

Spicy steak

There’s no need to feel intimidated if your friend goes on and on about spicy steak. In Tinubu’s Nigeria, that’s the new name for kilishi.

White caramel

Source: All recipes

Look no further, this is milk—whether powdered or evaporated.

Crunchy peas

Source: cookpad

One of the biggest scams of the agbado era is the new name for roasted corn.

Sweetener

Source: CNN

Sugar has also gotten a fancy name. For example, if you want to have garri with milk, groundnut and sugar, you’ll say: “I want to have some groceries, floating berries, some sweetener topped with a dash of white caramel.”

Seafood

Source: wikimedia commons

Please dear, you won’t be getting jumbo prawns or calamari. This is the new name for deep-fried panla. God, abeg.

Chocolate crunches

Source: Tasteatlas

Again, no need for any form of intimidation if you see anyone using this term loosely in Tinubu’s Nigeria; they’re talking about kulikuli.

Heated maize smoothie

Source: Grainfield

You’ve probably had it while it was cold and raining but since you were not informed at the time, now you know this is pap. A.k.a ogi.

Oceanic Aqua

Source: iStock

A glass of oceanic aqua please.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

July 25, 2023

Chopist

Funny, Nigeria, Nigerian Food, Nigerians
Twitter NG has struck again, and this time around, ice cream date is on the chopping board. The girlies are saying it is cheap, lacking in effort and just a reminder that you’re poor.

But is that really the case? Especially when you and the potential LOYL can feel like kids again and catch up on sweet childhood memories that these ice cream options remind you of.

FanIce (120ml)

When you look at the size, you might not think it’ll satisfy your ice cream craving. But it’s about ₦300, so you can get more than one tub.

SuperYogo (sachet)

Source: Fanmilk

This one always gives 90s babies nostalgia for two reasons: Closing hours at school and Eid prayers. It now sells at ₦100 – 150 for a sachet.

Supreme Ice cream (220ml)

This ice cream still comes through for Nigerians in the current harsh economy. With ₦450 – 500, you’ll get a 220ml bowl that serves two.

FanIce (250ml)

A step-up from the 120ml bowl, you can share this one with the LOYL.

Ice cream on a cone

Source: Nairaland

Not the ones they serve in fancy ice cream stores. We mean the ones that move around on bicycles and mini-vans. A serving goes for ₦100 – ₦200.

Frosty bite (150ml)

Forget the small size, this ice cream can raise shoulders with Hans & Rene and Coldstone. The 150ml pack goes for ₦250 – ₦350.

Frosty bite popsicles

At ₦400 – ₦500 per sachet, this is an expensive spend in the rank of sachet ice cream, but it’s worth it for an ice cream date.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

July 18, 2023

Chopist

dating in nigeria, Ice Cream, Nigerians, relationships
The ones who just came to eat

They heard “Jollof” and just knew they had to be there. If food runs out at the festival, they’re most likely behind it.

The ones that came to look for love

It’s true when they say the way to some people’s hearts is through their stomach. They came for the food, but they also came to find someone who likes food just as much as they do.

Jollof historians

You’re just there to eat and have a good time, but these people want to explain the story of how Jollof was first created in Senegal in the 14th century. Their stories are nice but these people will distract you. Focus on the food.

Content creators

Even though no one should ever miss a Jollof festival for anything, it happens sometimes. That’s where the content creators come in. They’ll film everything for those who missed out.

Owambe gatecrashers

These guys will mistake the festival for an owambe and show up. But at least they’ll bring the owambe energy with them.

The cooks

These ones will swear they can cook Jollof rice that’ll make you emotional. They might not be wrong sha, especially if they use great seasoning like Knorr.

The Knorr itself

What’s a good plate of Jollof without the best seasoning? Knorr knows this, so they’re hosting the Knorr Jollof Fest to celebrate food culture. Knorr is encouraging people to Eat for Good by incorporating more healthy options like veggies into their foods, so come ready to eat. There’ll be lots of food from different chefs, lots of games, and a lot of fun to be had. If you know you like food, you definitely want to be there.

It’s happening on July 23, 2023, at Muri Okunola Park, Lagos. To register for the event, just visit the Jollof Fest website, and make sure you show up.

Sheriff Alimi

July 17, 2023

Chopist

Chopist, Food, Jollof festival, Jollof wars, knorr
Jagaban has hit the ground running just like he promised during his campaign, but it’s still too early to say if we rate him or not.

He recently announced a monthly ₦8k palliative measure to ease the effects of the fuel subsidy removal. This money, if approved by the senate, will be paid to poor households across the country.

But with a budget of ₦8k in today’s Nigeria, how many items can you afford on this list?

Rice

We don’t know if President Tinubu is aware, but a paint bucket of rice is selling for as high as ₦3500 to ₦3700 these days, and it can barely last a month.

Garri

Source: GoMarket

Garri stays being the ultimate saviour in times of hardship. It’s now about ₦1500 for a paint bucket sha.

Beans

Source: GidiMarket

Beans used to be cheap, but not anymore. A derica of drum (olotu) sells for as high as ₦600 and a paint bucket now goes for about ₦3500.

Instant noodles

Source: ShopOnClick

Depending on the type and size you want to buy, you’ll have to shell out about ₦3500-₦5000 from your ₦8k palliative for a carton of instant noodles. The smallest size of common brands sells at ₦100-₦150.

Egg

Source: Bulk price store

This is the protein option for many people who can’t afford chicken, turkey, beef or fish. But even these days, one egg sells for ₦100-₦150 and a crate at almost ₦2500.

Vegetable oil

Source: MSME

A 50cl bottle of local vegetable oil sells for ₦1000-₦1500 depending on where you’re buying from. Prices are relatively cheaper in the local markets.

Semolina

The brand determines the price but, on average, a 1kg bag of semolina costs ₦800-₦1000.

Palm oil

You’ll get a 50cl bottle of palm oil at your local market for about ₦900-₦1000.

Adeyinka Odutuyo

July 15, 2023

Chopist

Bola Tinubu, Nigerian Foods, Nigerians, palliative