NIGERIA: Abacha can as well be referred to as an African salad. It is a delicacy that is popular only in the Eastern region of Nigeria. It can be consumed as a meal or in the form of snacks. There are different varieties and methods to prepare the Nigerian traditional delicacy. Salad or abacha tastes delicious particularly when prepared by the people who know how to make it.
Abacha is made up of patched and cleaved cassava. The dish is consumed as a local delicacy in Eastern Nigeria. It is easy to prepare and its ingredients are not difficult to source.
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How to make good Abacha
The secret to making delicious African salad is making sure the items needed for the preparation of the traditional meals are very well in place and are also fused together.
Your abacha or African salad will be incomplete without the addition of ‘ugba’. Ugba is a bean oilseed, it is cooked for some hours before it is gashed, washed and allowed to calm.
Ingredients for preparing African Salad (Abacha)
- Abacha
- Cups ugba (ukpaka)
- Red palm oil
- Powdered Potash (food tenderizer)
- Dry fish it could be Mackerel or Stockfish
- Large amounts of onion
- Salt and dry pepper
- Crayfish
- Maggi cubes
- Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg).
Other Ingredients include
- Ogiri (traditional Nigerian seasoning)
- Meat and vegetables
- Fresh Utazi leaves (Gongronema latifolium),
- Ponmo / Kanda (cow skin)
- Garden Eggs
- Garden Egg leaves
Method of preparation
The abacha should be soaked in cold water for some minutes for it to get soft before pouring hot or boiling water into it.
The ugba should be washed with hot water. Put the potash in water, sieve it and stir the potash water with palm oil in a pot until it looks completely yellowish.
The next thing is to put it on a heater and add enough pepper, crawfish, and include all the seasonings.
After that, a handful of crushed Maggi cubes, onions, fish, ugba and abacha should be allowed to blend together on the fire.
Health benefits of Abacha
Abacha helps in strengthening bones. i.e. it makes bones strong as it contains large amounts of calcium.
It is high in potassium, so it is very good for the heart and fights body cells diseases.
Abacha also helps in weight loss. It makes one feel content even after consuming little because it is fibrous.
The local Eastern Nigerian dish is also very good for digestive health as it contains vitamin C.
It helps in the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and paves way for clear vision.
