HOW TO MAKE AFRICAN SALAD (ABACHA)

African salad is a delicious Nigerian meal that is native to the ndi Igbo (people of Igbo).

This meal is very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria. It is one of the most Popular Igbo Food.
The fresh Abacha also known as African salad is made from cassava. There are a lot of processes involved with obtaining the fresh abacha that is used in preparing the African salad that we all know.



Ingredients for African Salads


*Ehu 3 seeds (optional)
*1 to 2 cups Of Ugba Ukpaka
*half cup of crayfish
*1 to 2 cubes of maggi or knorr
*100ml of palm oil
*Edible powdered potash (1 teaspoon)
*salt and pepper to taste.
*3 to 5 garden eggs (optional)
*Utazi leaves (optional)
*Garden egg leaves (optional)
*Meat/dry fish or stock fish (optional)
*Onions.


METHOD

1. You either heat or soak the dry Abacha in boiled water for about three minutes, then sieve and keep on a separate bowl.

2. Blend your crayfish and also slice the onions, and garden egg leaves. It is advisable to dissolve the powdered potash in about half a cup of clean water just to easily filter out unwanted solid materials that are in the potash.

3. Filter the dissolved potash into a mortar or pot.

4. Add about 100ml of palm oil and stir to form a yellowish paste.
5. Stir very well to get the yellowish paste. Then add the ground crayfish and pepper, stir, then add the ground ehu.

6. Add the ugba to the mixture and stir, and then add the abacha, salt. It is advisable to heat the abacha just a few seconds before you use so it doesn’t get cold, as most people in Nigeria like their Abacha to be a little bit warm.


7. Stir the whole combination and you are almost through with the preparation part.

8. Taste the combination in the mortar or pot, if it is as tasty as you desire, you may also want to turn on the cooker and heat for few minutes if it is not as warm as you desire.


9. Slice your garden egg and onion and keep aside in a different plate or bowl.

10. Serve your abacha with the meat and also add the garden eggs and onions(sliced) and the leaves to individual plates.

11. Get a bottle of your favorite soft drink and enjoy.

BY: FIRDAUSI MUSA DANTSOHO