Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the wordpress-seo domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/bcm/src/dev/www/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121 Quick recipes | Zikoko!
We’ve all had those bad days when our African ancestors forget to whisper in our ears and help us gauge the salt while cooking.
But don’t worry, we’ve checked, and these hacks will make sure your bragging right is intact even after messing shit up in the kitchen.
Dilute with water
What water cannot fix does not exist, and this includes your over-salted meal. Just make sure you go easy with the quantity. You’ll be causing more trouble if you also have to deal with watery soup.
Add acid
Source: Eni stores
That’s right. Ingredients like lemon juice and vinegar have high acidic levels that can cut through the saltiness and distract the tongue. Like water, make sure you add it with caution depending on the quantity of the meal.
Add dairy
This might not work with traditional meals, but if you’re making pasta or rice, for example, a moderate dash of coconut milk or heavy cream will reduce the saltiness.
Rinse and recook
This hack works best if you’ve gone overboard with salt while seasoning protein. Drain the water, rinse and cook again with a more controlled salt measurement.
Potato
Source: LiveScience
If you don’t rate potatoes, you better have a rethink. Just peel a potato, cut it into large pieces, rinse and place inside your over-salted meal. Wait for five to ten minutes then remove them. The potato will absorb the excess salt in your meal.
Recook
This should be the last option to consider when the damage is completely beyond repair. Remember, high consumption of salt isn’t good for your health.
As an adult, if you don’t have food sensory issues, you should be exposing your palate to new food experiences. Why? Why not? You already play it safe in your relationship and your job, so why not try these very Nigerian smoothies I think would slap.
Agbalumo smoothie
Imagine taking the first sip of that sweet and sour blend of flavours. It might take a lot of agbalumo to make this smoothie, but it definitely slaps. Trust me.
Some of you already drink garri with milk and sugar. So if you’re feeling adventurous, simply top it up with fruits like strawberries or pineapples and other unnecessary things. You might as well blend it and carry it in a bottle to work. But if you fall asleep there, you’re on your own.
Corn smoothie
What is a corn smoothie if not ogi persevering? If you can find joy in drinking ogi as an adult, this should work too. Buy the brown ogi, add your milk or yoghurt and top it with sprinkles. Perfection!
Bitter-leaf smoothie
If you can drink blended kale and all the other green atrocities, you can drink this. Add a bit of malt soda, milk and sugar, and your Nigerian mum would be proud of you for once.
Groundnut smoothie
Peanuts and groundnut are basically the same thing. If the former can taste great, then groundnut smoothie should slap to the highest heavens. You can even do a garri and groundnut smoothie, or a corn and groundnut smoothie. Nah, y’all need to pay me for these recommendations.
Jollof rice smoothie
It’s already your favourite food, so it might as well become your favourite smoothie too. Think of it as jollof on the go. If nasty things, like letting people spit in your mouth, don’t bother you then eating blended rice should be fine.
Every soup in the fridge smoothie
Here me out, instead of throwing away all those small plates of soups in your fridge, why not turn them into one big cup of juice? You’re being less wasteful and eating healthy. What could go wrong?
Christmas season is here, and I’m excited for all the food I’ll eat this period. I’m doing this thing where, for 12 days of December (any 12 consecutive days before Christmas), I’ll make a different thing to eat and drink. I want you to join me, so I’ve written a list of the 12 recipes we’ll be trying. Let me know how it goes.
Day 1
Turkey and plantain pepper soup
I made this meal after a long ass day at work, and after eating it, I felt instant relief. I no longer wanted to throw hands at my colleagues or cry out of frustration. This is exactly why you should use this recipe to start your Christmas holiday; it’s deliciously soothing. After a long work year, it’s exactly what you need. Don’t try it when the weather is too hot sha.
The normal fried rice you cook at parties with a twist. This one is a bit more festive and includes coconut and pineapple. Before you open your mouth and say, “Who puts pineapples in fried rice?” Try it first.
Time to open the Zobo that’s been in your fridge for a few days, and use it to make a unique martini. I’m not a fan of Zobo, but I’d gladly drink it when mixed with vodka.
I believe the liver is one of the most delicious parts of the cow. If you disagree with me, argue with the cow. Instead of the usual hard chicken piece, small chops should include peppered cow liver. It’s that delicious.
On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, fiiiiive chicken pops! Nigerians have found a way to make chicken pops better, and it’s by adding yaji pepper to it. They can be eaten alone or with fries, yam chips or anything you want honestly. They can be addictive, so good luck.
We don’t have winter in Nigeria, but you can put on your AC, or sit in front of a fan, and have this hot drink while watching a cliche Christmas movie. It’s Milo with a bit of alcohol inside.
The fluffiness of hot puff puff mixes so well with cold vanilla ice cream and makes it so sweet. If I had my way (and a fast metabolic system), I’d eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In case you don’t want to buy puff puff…
I’m actually begging you, take a break from that pack of Chivita and try something different today. The watermelon and pineapple mocktail is a really sweet drink that can be made in minutes. Make it in a large batch and just drink it over the week — or in one day, if you’re like me.
Go back and read the name of the recipe again. If you ever want to taste happiness, try this recipe. The Christmas holiday is for eating all sorts of junk food in the name of celebration, and this ice cream, is the right place to start from.
Mkpafere soup looks like oha soup but tastes different. Just put back the ingredients you’ve brought out for the okra soup you want to make, and start preparing for Mkpafere. I promise you’ll love it. If you have money, add prawns inside.
The Bee’s Knees is a cocktail made with gin, lemon and honey. It’s actually kinda sweet, and that’s why you’d love it. Plus, the name is weird; the weirder the name of the drink, the better.
Between work, traffic and Nigeria just Nigeria-ing, everybody is tired. They’re also hungry but would like to eat without having to cook for 45 minutes to an hour when they return from work. What’s that thing Fireboy said again? “There’s no time. There’s no energy.” Exactly. And that’s why I’ve listed seven quick recipes you can cook for dinner in under 20 minutes. With these recipes, you don’t have to do too much or get too many ingredients.
This is the traditional “There’s nothing to eat” meal Nigerians cook when there are very few ingredients in the house. Most people cook this by throwing whatever they find in the pot. But if you need a recipe to follow, I’m here for you.
Before you slander this combination, note it’s basically a beef sandwich but beef suya instead. To make it better, use agege bread. ₦500 suya plus ₦150 agege bread, and you’re good to go. Spread some butter or mayo inside (you won’t regret it). For extra oomph, add a sunny-side-up egg.
Try this if you’re tired of eating your Indomie and egg the same way every time. Mix everything together and fry at once(after cooking your Indomie, of course). It slaps, I promise.
The fastes go-to for spaghetti is usually to pair it with stew. But I need us to move forward in life. The recipe below can get addictive just by how quick and easy it is to cook. I introduced it to my friend, a Nigerian bachelor who hates cooking, and he made it every day for one week straight. Don’t be as extreme as him though.
A faster and cheaper way to cook fried rice. The link below offers two recipes: one with few ingredients, while the other has some extras like soy sauce and mixed vegetables. Choose which one to make depending on your time, money and energy.
One thing I’ve noticed is that many Nigerian bachelors who live alone have only three meal options; noodles, rice and stew, and bread. Outside of that, they’re buying food. I want better for them. That’s why I’ve come up with this list of recipes. Please at least try one of them this week.
Egg fried rice
Image credit: Immaculate bites
On Sunday, before you begin blending those tomatoes and onions to make stew for your white rice, just stop. Forget the blender and bring out your cutting board to make egg-fried rice instead. Don’t worry, it won’t take time to make, you can still finish in time for Premier League
Don’t beat me o, but potato pepper soup tastes so much better than yam pepper soup. There’s just something about the way the flavours in the pepper soup seep into the potatoes. It’s amazing. You can decide to use fish, beef or chicken; it all depends on your account balance.
I had these at my friend’s house last month and no matter how much I ate, I couldn’t get enough. Once you eat these, you won’t be able to eat any other type of pancakes again. The only thing that stops you from eating these pancakes every day, is the amount of work that goes onto making them.
Not every time boiled yam and stew. Are you not tired? Or is it just laziness? Whatever it is, please just try something else. Start with this heavenly smoked fish sauce, I promise you’ll thank me later. It slaps harder than a Nigerian mother.
Nigeria is currently showing us shege. Every single thing is expensive, and flight tickets are the worst. Someone can’t even just travel as they please again. But at least you can travel through food. Starting with food from our best friends, Ghana. Chicken light soup tastes so good, that I’m willing to almost admit that Ghanaian food is better, in public.
This sandwich bangs! You don’t have to add cheese, and you can make it in a regular frying pan. When you’re making this meal, sha lock all your doors and windows tight. Corned beef is expensive, and if you can afford it, it means you’re rich and are at risk of robbery.
This recipe involves some pounding. But this shouldn’t be a problem now since men are the physically stronger gender, abi? Onunu is a special type of swallow from Rivers state mixed with plantain and yam mashed together. You can eat it with any soup or stew of your choice.
Every Saturday, I beg my mother to make this on Sunday instead of her normal stew or jollof rice and she ignores me. Because whenever she actually decides to make it, that’s all I eat. That’s how good this sauce tastes. Once you make this chicken curry sauce, you’ll never look back.
I’m begging Nigerian youths to try something outside the box of bread or indomie and egg. I know it’s easier and faster (and cheaper) to just eat certain meals in particular ways sometimes, but once in a while, at least do something different with your food. Do you know all the many different things you can do with eggs? Let me tell you.
Noodles and egg frittata
Indomie and egg but make it fancy. If you have Indomie in your house, get up and make this meal now now. I promise you’ll come back and thank me later.
Egg and corned beef was something I discovered one day when I was looking for what to eat and I was tired of sunny side up and scrambled eggs. At that time, I just thought to add the most random thing I saw in the store: corned beef. I didn’t know it was an actual thing until I found recipes online. There’s a recipe I found that I really like.
A very popular meal that needs to be made more often. Instead of eating plantain and egg separately, why not combine them? I wish plenty of dollars upon the person that thought of this. There are two ways you can make it. You can either cook it on the stove or bake it in the oven. They both slap.
The Nigerian woman in me had to add a pasta recipe. It even tastes too good for it not to be here. It’s a very simple meal you can cook with ingredients you already have in your house.
Release yourself from the shackles of the regular bread and eggs and try something new. I like to deceive myself with this recipe by saying I’m eating healthy because it’s a “salad”.
Wait first. Before you roll your eyes and say that I’ve come again with another strange recipe, you should know that a lot of smoothies do have eggs inside. Adding eggs to themadds much needed protein to your diet. You can make this smoothie with any fruit of your choice.
This is a cocktail that is mixed by adding egg whites to gin. I promise you it doesn’t taste as weird as it sounds. When making it, if you don’t have the simple syrup, just use honey instead.
Another great cocktail made from gin and egg whites. The major difference between this one and the cocktail above is the fact that you’re adding bitters.
Instead of chicken shawarma, try this instead. If you want to make it a little healthier, don’t add mayonnaise, or replace mayo with Greek yoghurt. I try this every once in a while when I have shawarma bread in my kitchen.
The only type of salad I truly like to eat. I’ve eaten this boiled pasta salad a gazillion times and I’m still not tired of it. If you’re not trying any other thing on this list, try this one.
I know I said release yourself from the shackles of bread and egg but this one is different. This is the ultimate sandwich because there’s fried egg above and below the bread. Check out the recipe and see what I’m talking about.
Okra may be a meal best served as soup to you, but it’s really a vegetable you can do so much more with. I’ve taken the time to help you find 11 okra recipes to get into.
Send us pictures when you attempt any of them!
Okra Ice Cream
Credit: Brooke Allen, Edible Tulsa
Y’all are out here eating ice cream and plantain, so don’t act shocked. A 2014 study showed that the okra can help retain the texture of ice cream as it freezes and unfreezes. And although not everyone is trying it out, there are people making it work like this guy.
Recipe
Steal a bowl of ice cream because things are tough on Buhari’s streets. I’d say go with vanilla.
Get to chopping up that okra and mix mix mix.
Fried okra and pepper
Photo credit: tsunad, gourmandize
It’s like eating fried potato and pepper sauce. Once the okra is fried, there’s no sliminess to deal with. And to make it even tastier, put in an egg, mix with corn meal, throw in a dash of pepper and salt, and fry until golden brown.
Yes, there’s nothing that doesn’t exist under the sun. But I don’t need to say too much about this dish. Buy noodles and follow this Asian recipe I found on Youtube.
I can’t forget our K-drama fans on this okra journey. We already showed you how to make cucumber kimchi, so switch things out with okra, and you have a whole new dish.
For the fitfam crew. Okra is a vegetable, so paired with onions, scotch bonnets and sausages on the side, you have a breakfast for champions. You’re welcome.
Okra pie
Look, hear me out. We’re already finding strange things like macaroni in meat pies, so why not okra? And for the bougie people, what’s the difference between this and shepherd’s pie?
Plaintain chips, potato chips, okra chips, they’re all chips.
Okra oatmeal
Photo credit: humbleherbivore, feed feed
Since oatmeal has a slightly slimy feel already, the okra fits right in. If you’re not much of a sweet tooth, or maybe you’re a hardened criminal on the loose, you may find this appealing.
Okra and plantain pottage
I’m amazed at the things people think of because, why? But if you’re a plantain lover that needs this in life, here’s a video to jump on.
Okra pancakes
Photo credit: Louisiana cookin
Out of everything I found, this pancake recipe hurt me the most.
For getting to the end of this article, I’ll grant you one wish:
Which of the okra recipes would you like Zikoko writers to try? Tell me here, and I’ll make it happen.
It’s World Chocolate day! I’m shouting because my editor has given me permission to share my obsession with chocolate with you guys. How am I doing this? By giving you a bunch of delightful chocolate-filled recipes that can easily be tried at home, and with readily available ingredients.
Fried chocolate chicken
Wait wait, before you say we’ve come with our madness again, how about you at least read the recipe. It basically just involves putting your chicken in cocoa, and I don’t see how that could go wrong if you spice it well. If you’re scared, you can just use wings or smaller bits of chicken, for starters.
The deliciousness of this recipe cannot be explained in mere words. I love the way the ice cream sits on the brownie, as cheesecake sits on the biscuit. You can try this recipe with either chocolate or vanilla ice cream, and instead of crushed granola bars, use crushed KitKat bars. And your chocolate syrup can be any melted chocolate of your choice. You’re welcome.
If you have some leftover brownies from the previous recipe, how about you mix them all together with ice cream and chocolate fudge. When we’re talking about comfort food, this one recipe is top tier. Making the chocolate fudge isn’t hard, just try this recipe or just substitute with a chocolate bar. You also don’t have to make the ice cream by yourself, as you can just buy any vanilla or chocolate one.
Why have just a fudge brownie when you can have a whole loaf of chocolate bread? The person that came up with this recipe deserves plenty of dollars. It takes about ten minutes to prepare, and you don’t need fancy, expensive baking equipment to mix the ingredients. If you want to go crazy and take things to a higher level, eat the chocolate bread with your favourite chocolate spread. I guarantee you multiple stomach orgasms.
This list wouldn’t be complete if we don’t include cocktails. Chocolate cocktails are the best because they combine two amazing things: chocolate and alcohol. What makes this martini unique is the chocolate liqueur. If you want to make it instead of buying it, here’s an easy chocolate liqueur recipe. And don’t worry about not having a cocktail shaker; just use any cup that has a cover.
If you’re lazy like me, and you don’t have the strength to go through the whole process of baking cookies, try this recipe. If for anything, for the process of just seeing what it would be like to bake something in a mug. Just so you know, the cookie will be soft and hot.
The chocolate dream cocktail is easy and very straight to the point and that’s why I love it. All you need is vodka, Baileys and chocolate ice cream and you’re good to go.
A combination of Nutella and pancakes? What more does a person need? Eat this and you’ll feel like you’ve gone to heaven and back. Make some Nutella pancakes on a lazy Saturday morning and welcome to the blissful side of life. By the way, you can use pancake mix for this if you don’t want to start from scratch.
Just because you don’t have an oven doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to eat chocolate cake. This recipe doesn’t take much time and energy to make; it almost seems too good to be true. For even lazier people, you can even just use cake mix instead of mixing ingredients from scratch.
You can make this today. Just get up, go to your nearby supermarket and buy some Oreos, milk and vanilla ice cream. That’s basically all you need. For a deeper chocolate flavour, you can add syrup or melted chocolate bars.
You can decide to go straight to the point and just damn well make your own chocolate. It’s not every time you have to buy. Just know that the moment you start, you may hardly ever want to eat store-bought chocolate again.
While we’re on the topic of recipes, you should try out these Very Nigerian Pancake Recipes by different Nigerians. There’s even someone who adds crayfish inside her pancakes!
If you love watching K-drama like me, you’ve probably seen them eat different types of Kimchi and wanted to try it. You might have even gone to eat it at a restaurant, and even though you loved it, your bank account did not. So, you decided to learn how to make it instead because how hard can it be, right? Yes, this is about me.
Lucky for you, you don’t have to try different recipes because I’ve found the perfect one.
Ingredients for two servings:
Eight small cucumbers
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Green and red onions
Salt
Rice vinegar
Minced garlic
Sugar
Gochugaru, aka chilli powder
Preparation:
Go to the market, argue with your local mallam about the price of your cucumber but not too much, so you don’t get bitter ones. He’ll most likely be selling the onions too. Go to the supermarket to get sesame seeds, oil, and rice vinegar. If you’re impatient, don’t try to learn how to make that rice vinegar online. It will end in tears.
Cut up your cucumbers into thin slices in a bowl. Marinate in salt to draw out the moisture, mix well and cover it up for at least 15 minutes.
While it marinates, mince your garlic, green and red onions, and set them aside for later. While waiting, you can test your knowledge of iconic K-drama lines.
After 15 minutes, drain the bowl. Rinse the cucumber once and strain it for twenty minutes or until you’re sure it’s dry. If you have to ask yourself if it’s dry, leave it for another 10 minutes.
Add two tablespoons of rice vinegar or three cause I know you will add extra. Add two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of sesame oil. Mix well.
Add your minced garlic, onions, a tablespoon of sesame seeds and three to four tablespoons of chilli pepper. Please give it a good mix.
Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your preference
Here’s the most challenging part. Refrigerate it overnight. Or you can eat it in thirty minutes. Who will judge you?
Cucumber Kimchi is a sweet and tangy meal served as a side dish and eaten with rice or meat. If you’re like me, you can eat it like that. Serve it and watch all your family members try to taste and eventually finish your food. Sorry in advance.
Puff puff is a popular African snack. It is basically fried dough. Different countries have their different names for it, but that’s what we call it in Nigeria. Some people love pepper in it, while some people don’t like it at all. Today, we’re going to teach you how to make puff puff.
Ingredients:
Flour (duh)
Yeast
Warm water
Salt
Sugar
Cooking oil
How to make puff puff:
Activate the yeast. What that means is that you mix it with salt, sugar, and water.
The next step is to add flour and mix it properly.
Cover the mixture and leave it for about an hour so it can rise.
Fry the mixture.
How to fry:
Heat your oil in a deep pan.
Check if the oil is hot enough by putting a tiny portion of the dough in it. If it’s hot enough, it will rise to the top.
Once you’re sure the oil is hot enough, drop as many balls of dough as you want into the pan. Not too many though, you don’t want to crowd your pan.
Fry till the bottom is golden brown, then flip it.
Leave it to fry till the other side is golden brown too.
Take it out of the oil, put it in a sieve to drain the oil or place it on kitchen towels to soak up the oil.
Are you always hungry? Do you always skip meals? Do you complain frequently, of lack of food because you are a bachelor? Say no more. We’ve made a list of keys things to do to change your story. Take a look.
1. Noodles
You may think this is mainstream, but it isn’t. Variety is the spice of life. There are over four different flavors and you can make them with different garnishes. Stockpile your pantry with these babies and be happy!
2. Buy Yams and Eggs
Probably the easiest and fastest dish available. Cut, peel and boil yams, break eggs, add salt and spices and fry. Tada! Food is served. Easy? Yes we know. You’re welcome.
3. Sandwiches
You have to learn how to eat a lot of these. Always have sandwich ingredients bread, butter, eggs, sardines, lettuce, tomatoes and the like who says you can’t be your own sandwich place.
There are a couple outfits that provide home cooked meals in bulk. Buy these and put them in your refrigerator, bring them out when needed, thaw and eat.
5. Microwave
This machine right here has a lot of miraculous powers. It can restore cold pizza to its fresh state and reheat your takeout from last night. Also, guess what? You can cook certain meals in there.
6. Restaurants
This is one bulletproof method. Simple make a timetable of where you will have your breakfast, lunch and dinner with the different foods you will order. Follow schedule week, in week out till you are tired. Easy? Yeah we know.
7. Plan lunch meetings
If you are lucky to work in an establishment where you have a lot of meetings. Suggest lunch and dinner meetings. Lunch/dinner for that day sorted.
8. Make many female friends that love to cook
See, this is a very important hack. Make many friends, give them gifts of course those are investments (you didn’t hear it here), know their schedule, and pop in around their dinner time for free food. You’re welcome.
9. Get a girlfriend
Sometimes, you may be faced with extreme resistance to your showing up at only dinner times. Don’t worry ask the one you like best out and make her your girlfriend. Guess who now has no excuse not to help your lack of food situation?
10. Beg your friends and family to marry
How does this relate? Your friends or family getting married = free food at the introduction, engagement, reception. You can make friends with the person in charge of the food and take the leftovers home. Free food for one week. Thank us later.
11. Go and marry
See, if all these don’t work for you, we guess it’s time to get married and stop suffering. Get you a woman you love and that knows how to cook and make your life better and rejoice because your hungry days are over.
12. Learn how to cook
This is the back up plan of all back up plans. In case steps 1 to 11 did not work for you. Please there are Youtube tutorials to learn how to cook basic dishes. No data? There are blogs? Still no data? Start trying from hack number one all over.
