Ikokore : An Ijebu Food

Ifokore, is a Yam Pottage dish made with Water Yam not White Yam. It is a pottage recipe from the Ijebu people of Ogun state and ijebu from Lagos state , Nigeria. I’m yet to come across an Ijebu person who doesn’t love Ikokore, Ikokore remains a staple in an ijebu household. To really enjoy Ikokore, you’ll need to incorporate as much proteins as you possibly can to enrich it. Your best bets are Shaki, ( intestine ) Ponmo, Chicken, Goat meat, Gizzard, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Fish, Panla, Eja Kika, the more the merrier.

The authentic Ikokore recipe requires no blended pepper, it calls for just Scotch Bonnet (Ata rodo) and in some cases, dry ground pepper but I’m not too keen on hot and spicy dishes so I settle for Shombo.

Ingredients:
A Tuber of Water yam
3 Cooking spoons Palm Oil
4 Cups Chicken or Beef Stock/ Water
#100 Shombo/Tatashe or 4Tablespoons dry ground pepper
#50 Scotch Bonnet (ata Rodo)
Smoked Fish (Eja Kika) or Shawa (Bonga fish)Shredded (Optional)
Dried Fish (Panla) Shredded (Optional)
Shredded cooked Meats
#100 Crayfish
1/2 Cup Smoked Prawns (Optional)
Ogiri Ijebu (Fermented Locust Beans)
2 Knorr Chicken Cubes
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Slice your water yam into small pieces. Peel each piece then grate using the smallest part of your grater.

Blend the Shombo/Tatashe and Scotch Bonnet till smooth and set aside. If you’re using just Scotch Bonnet, just blend it on it’s own…
Get a medium size pot and place on a hob on medium heat. When it’s hot, add the palm oil, then the Locust Beans, I forgot to add my Locust Beans at this stage. Sauté the Locust Beans for a minute, then add the blended Pepper, then the Knorr Cubes and Salt to taste. If you’re using Stock, do not add salt as your stock is already seasoned…
Leave to fry till oil floats to the top. This should take 10 minutes thereabouts, stir every now and then to prevent burning…
If you’re using just Dry Ground Pepper or Scotch Bonnet (Ata Rodo), add the Ground pepper or Blended Scotch Bonnet into the palm oil and continue with the other steps, skip the pepper frying process.
Now, add the Chicken /Beef Stock if you’re using any, if you haven’t got Stock, just add water, continue to cook for 5minutes.
Add the Shredded Cooked Meats, Fish and Smoked Prawns, any other proteins you’re using, then the Ogiri, leave to cook for 10 minutes.
after 10 minutes, remove all the meat and fish from the stew, leaving just the stew in the pot.
Turn the heat down to low, now scoop the grated yam into the stew, do this in both big and small lumps. The small lumps will dissolve in the stew, forming a mushy type consistency while the bigger lumps will create the lumpy Ikokore consistency. Do not stir, leave the contents to boil for 8-10 minutes on low heat…
Then you can stir a bit you can use a wooden spoon. Stir and break up clumps if you find it too clumpy or leave as it is if you don’t mind. Now, taste for salt and seasoning.
Transfer the cooked meats and fish back into the pot, add the rest of the crayfish and combine gently, be careful when doing this so you don’t break the clumps.
Leave to simmer for 3 – 5 minutes and it’s ready.

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