Skip to main content

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.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

most read

14 pounds baby born in Colorado

A woman in southern Colorado was surprised when she gave birth to a baby girl who tipped the scales at almost 14 pounds. Mia Yasmin Hernandez was born by cesarean section Monday 1/12/14 in Alamosa, weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces. She was flown to a hospital outside Denver because she had low glucose levels and trouble breathing. Her father says she's doing well and the family hopes to take her home soon. Alisha Hernandez, was expecting a 7- pound baby. Mia's father, Francisco Garcia, says the newborn's size shocked everyone, including hospital staff. He says, "They were like, 'Whoa!' They opened their eyes like they've never seen a baby like that."
Post a Comment
Read more

Miranda Lambert

The country star, who will perform with the "All About That Bass" singer at the Country Music Awards, said she has yet to meet the newcomer with the year's biggest hit. "I've not met Meghan yet, but we've been texting back and forth," Lambert said in an interview Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, where the CMAs will be held Wednesday. "We've listened to 'All About That Bass' probably about a thousand times this summer on the tour, so I already know it, obviously." "Bass" is spending its eighth week on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Trainor, who released an EP this year, will drop a full-length album in January and launch a tour a month later.
Post a Comment
Read more

Jerusalem synagogue attacked by gunmen

At least five Israelis killed along with two Palestinian attackers in early morning attack.17/11/14. A shooting at a synagogue in West Jerusalem has killed at least five Israelis and two Palestinian attackers , sources said . Al Jazeera 's correspondent in the city said the attack happened on Tuesday morning. The AP news agency also reported that two attackers were killed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Ebonyi House of Assembly, Blaise Orji was allegedly assaulted by political thugs

The Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, Blaise Orji was allegedly assaulted by political thugs that invaded the assembly complex on Monday, Vanguard reports. The hoodlums were said to have beaten up and denied the deputy speaker and some other key members of the House including House leader, Sam Nwali, Chief Whip, Kingsley Ikoro and nine others,  belonging to a faction of the House from gaining access into the assembly complex. State Commissioner of Police, Maigari Dikko, who arrived the scene with reinforcement of policemen, ordered the arrest the hoodlums, and whisked them away in hilux vans to the state police command. The Speaker, Nwazunku, Frank, denied that the affected lawmakers were not invited for the sitting and that they were denied access to the assembly.
Post a Comment
Read more

Kemi Adeosun resigned her job

Kemi Adeosun, the minister of finance, resigned her appointment so as not to be a baggage to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid, her associates have told TheCable. Daily Trust broke the news of her resignation on Friday following a report by Premium Times that she presented a forged NYSC exemption certificate as part of her credentials. But TheCable learnt that she was still working in her office as at noon on Friday, casting doubts on her resignation. However, two of her close associates told TheCable that she “toed the path of honour by choosing to step down so that her NYSC issue will not be used against the president and the party” in the 2019 electioneering. “Posterity will judge her for going the honourable thing by resigning,” one of the associates said. However, many have argued that she should have resigned long before now after Premium Times broke the story of her certificate scandal. The presidency is yet to officially confirm her resignation. Calls to her spokespe...
Post a Comment
Read more