How To Make Naturally Sweetened Zobo {Hibiscus} Drink

 

Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae and has various species in the warm temperate.

Its petals are used for this drink.

They are antioxidants containing vitamin C and carotene, boost immunity, reduce heart diseases, diabetes and cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol level, improve liver health and promote weight loss.

They are also rich in calcium iron, phosphorus, niacin and riboflavin.

To make this nutritious drink, you need to get:

1 and 1/2 cup zobo leaves

1 tbsp cloves

Medium size ginger {to taste}

Ripe pineapple

Ripe orange

Instruction:

• Rinse the zobo leaves

Note: Be mindful not to loose most of the zobo leaves' colour

• Grind the cloves
• Peel, wash and blend the ginger
• Wash and cut/blend the pineapple
• Wash and cut/blend the oranges

The pineapple and the orange are the natural sweeteners.

Procedure:

• Put the rinse zobo leaves in a clean pot
• Add water
• Boil for 15 minutes
• Add the ginger, cloves, pineapple and orange and boil for 10 minutes
• Bring down and allow to cool
• Using a sieve or muslin cloth, sieve out the zobo juice
• Refrigerate an serve chilled.

Read More

Mushroom Sauce: How To Prepare (Oyster) Mushroom Sauce

Mushroom is an edible fungi rich in fibre, vitamin D, helps in decreasing the risk of cancer, lower cholesterol level, protect brain health, stimulate healthier gut and support immune system.

Oyster mushroom is a type of mushroom.

We would be making a sauce with mushroom which can be eaten with rice or noodles.

Ingredients:

500g Mushroom

1 medium Green pepper

100g Green beans

1 medium Spring onions

Read More

Peppered Snail: How To Prepare Peppered Snail

Peppered snail dish is one of the most delicious and healthy meal rich in iron, protein, selenium, etc.

Without much ado, let's get cooking!

Read More

Snail Suya: How to make snail suya

Suya is a known snack in Nigeria, made with beef.

Here, we would be trying this out with snails and trust me, this is delicious.

Let's get grilling!!!

Ingredients

• 6-7 Snails
• 1/4 cup Suya pepper
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 Medium onion
• 1/4 cup Vegetable oil
• 1 Seasoning cube
• 1 Cucumber and tomato {for garnishing} 

Tools Needed

• Cooking brush
• Skewers
• Foil

Procedure

• Soak the skewers in warm water for 30 minutes.

• Get the vegetables ready by slicing the cucumber, tomato and onion in a round shape.

• Then, in the suya pepper, add the garlic and ginger powder and also the seasoning cube.

• Mix well.

• Bring out the soaked skewers and on a flat plate, pour out some suya pepper mix.

• Put the snails on the skewers.

• Using the cooking brush, rub the oil on the snails and rub in the suya spice one after the other till you are done.

• Rap the snails in the foil and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

• While they are in the refrigerator, preheat the oven at 180^oC.

• After 15 minutes, bring them out and arrange in the preheated oven.

          NB: 1. Set at grill
                  2. Place foil in the oven to collect any fluid from the snails

• After 15 minutes, flip them to the other side and grill for another 10-15 minutes and your meat snack is ready.

• Season with suya spice and garnish with cucumber, tomato and onions and enjoy!!!

Read More

How to Prepare Snail Nkwobi

Nkwobi is popular in South eastern Nigeria. It is usually prepared with goat meat or cow meat (the leg) and some now make chicken nkwobi, yeah! yeah!

And here, we are making snail nkwobi! Yeah, you heard me right! 

So, get ready to prepare this nutritious and delicious meal rich in iron, protein, selenium and many minerals and vitamins.

LET'S GO! 

INGREDIENTS

• 10 - 12 snails

            If you have live snails, check out how to clean live snails without breaking the shells here. 

• 1 cup of palm oil 
• ½ cup ugba (oil bean)
• 1 teaspoon or 2 seeds of ehuru (calabash nutmeg)
• 5 utazi leaves (Gangronema latifolia) 
• 1 medium onion
• 3 habanero peppers
• 1 teaspoon ngo/akanwu (edible potash)
• 2 tablespoon ground crayfish
• 1 cube seasoning

PROCEDURE 

• Get  the ingredients ready by first of all, soaking the edible potash/ ngo and setting aside for filter.

• Roast, peel and grind the ehuru.

• In a pot, season and boil your snails for 20-25 minutes, add water when necessary and allow the stock dry up when cooked.

• While the snails are on fire, cut your vegetables and set aside (onion, pepper, utazi). Cut the first half of the onion round for garnishing and the second half smaller for the sauce. 

• Filter the ngo and set aside, ready for use.

• In a pot, mix the oil and ngo together, stir till the mixture turns yellow/orange in colour.

• Add the cooked snails, ugba, ehuru, some utazi, the chopped onions, some pepper, crayfish, seasoning and mix very well.

• Put on fire for a minute or 2. Do not leave it on fire for long to avoid the palm oil melting.

• Dish out and garnish with onions, utazi leaves and pepper.

• Serve with chilled drink.

Read More

How to Clean Live Snails without Breaking the Snail Shells

 

 

Snail is a great meat, very nutrituous, full of vitamins and minerals. it is a very great source of protein with low fat and cholesterol, but getting snails clean before use can be worrisome due to the snail slime.

So, you have live snails and you want to clean the snails, removing the slime perfectly well without going through the rigour of breaking the snail shells? You are in the right place.

Snails can be cleaned with different food items depending on what you have available or which you prefer.

These items are: Lime, lemon, alum, garri, and white vinegar with salt

For this write up, we would be using lemon and alum. Lemon is very efficient and alum gives it that perfect finishing. 

TOOLS AND MATERIALS NEEDED

• Bowl
• Pot
• Fork
• Lemon
• Alum

INSTRUCTION

• Get your live snails

• Put the snails in a pot, add water and boil for 10 minutes.

• In a bowl, using a fork to pull out the flesh of the snail out of the shell.

• Remove the offals.

• Cut the lemons, squeeze out the juice into the bowl of snails and scrub with both palms.

• Continue scrubbing  till the slime is off.

• Rinse till the water is clear.

• Then, scrub wit alum for a perfect finishing and your snails are ready for use.

For cleaning snails with the other items check here. 

Read More