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 An exciting first of its kind cookbook authored to create an adventure for Nigerian cuisine. For those already familiar with them, this book redefines the preparation and presentation of Nigerian food. Those on a journey of discovery will encounter a whole new range of spices, flavours and textures from one of West Africa’s finest and authentic cuisines   Fantastic book! (Dayo Olomu London)   "A well designed and well written book, first of its kind for Nigerian cuisine. Easy to follow guides and attractive pictures that make you salivate! Excellent book. (Jackie, New York USA)   Well Done Funke! - The book is simple and easy to use... (Nadia Harper, Las Vagas)   "Just what we have been waiting for". (Bunmi, Chatham Kent)   Interesting, colourful food. will be giving it a try (Chris Luckett London)   "The book is very essential for all nigerians living abroad, a copy is ideal for each household." (Babson Lagos)   "Cannot believe Nigerian food can look this good. This book paints a good picture of food otherwise thought to be boring and unhealthy. Well done Funke." (YK london)  

Food Ideas

Discover different recipe ideas for you to try. Share your recipes and help others to discover more.


Recipe Suggestions


  Finger foods

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  Quick Snacks

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  Set menu - Edikang Ikang

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Featured Recipe - Nigerian Style CouscousNigerian

Couscous is a staple food in some parts of Northern Nigeria where it is cooked with peppers, tomatoes and meat. This recipe is surprisingly tasty and rather unlike the ones popular in Northern Africa. Great tasting hot or cold.

  • African brown beans (Oloyin)
  • Couscous
  • Nigerian spicy pepper sauce (see Contenmporary Nigerian Cuisine cookbook for preparation)
  • Smoked mackerel (optional)
  • Raisin
  • Chargrilled chopped red peppers and onion
  • Salt and sugar to taste
  • Olive oil

Method:

  • Cook beans using a pressure cooker until soft. Set aside. Place couscous in a small pot and add boiling water enough to cover it. Cover and set aside for about 5 mimutes.
    Grill some sliced onoins and red peppers.
    Place pot of couscous the stove, low heat. Add 3-4 spoons of sauce and stir well. Add some beans (as preferred) and a handful of washed raisin, stir in, add salt and suger. Then add the chargrilled peppers and onions and stir well. Drizzle some olive oil last, stir well and cover to steam for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot or cold with shreds of smoked fish.


Featured Recipe - Suya Spice

Make your own suya mix!
It is very frustrating to find that most Suya spices on the market lack the expected quality in taste and flavour. What you get is an overload of chilli not to mention the grainy crunch you get from sand particles introduced through the crude methods of grinding components like kuli kuli and the dried ginger.
Why not create your own suya spice using the individual components to achieve your very own signature spice, just the way you want it. Its easy.
What you need:

  • Dried ground ginger
  • groundnut powder-made from kuli kuli.(Peanut butter can be used instead)
  • ground cloves
  • garlic powder
  • dadawa powder (optional)
  • ground dried pepper
  • Maggi or seasoning salt

Method:

  • The two key ingredients required are the ground ginger and groundnut powder. Begin by mixing equal parts of both ingredients, taste and then slowly adjust until you achieve your desired taste. Then add garlic powder, dadawa powder, maggi, salt and dried chilli pepper a little at a time until you achieve the best blend for your particular taste.
    Use as required!


Featured Recipe - Veggie Suya

This summer make suya from absolutely any type of meat, fish or vegetables. Enjoy the great taste of suya indoors or outdoors.
What you need:

  • Vegetables of choice
  • Suya mix
  • Salt & pepper
  • Groundnut oil

Method:

  • Rinse vegetables well and cut into mouth size pieces, shake off excess water and pat dry with kitchen towel. Skewer vegetable pieces and thinly brush on some groundnut oil, sprinkle some black pepper and salt and then dust-on suya mix. Carefully place vegetable skewers on a hot barbeque grill or hot griddle. Turn on their sides frequently to ensure even cooking. Serve hot.


Featured Recipe - Chicken Suya

This recipe produces a tasty and flavourful meal especially from the suya spices and groundnut paste which make this really Moorish. This recipe serves 2.

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Suya mix
  • Salt and black pepper (optional)
  • 1-2 spoons of peanut butter
  • Wilted Spinach and grilled red sweet peppers to serve

Method:

  • With a kitchen mallet, gently beat chicken breasts on both sides for a few seconds. This will make the chicken cook faster. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
    Slightly melt peanut butter and rub on the chicken breasts. Then coat chicken breasts with suya mix. Drizzle a little oil as desired to ensure even distribution of suya mix. Allow to stand for a few minutes.
    Place on hot barbeque grill or hot griddle. Cook for about 3-5 minutes turning frequently until cooked, depending on thickness of chicken and barbeque heat. Serve hot with wilted spinach and potatoes.


Featured Recipe - Salmon Suya

Make suya from absolutely any type of meat or fish. Enjoy the great taste of suya indoors or outdoors. This recipe serves two people.

  • 2 steaks of salmon
  • Suya mix
  • Salt and black pepper (optional)
  • Seasonal salad to serve with fish
  • vegetable or groundnut oil

Method:

  • Rinse salmon steaks, shake off excess water and pat dry with kitchen towel. Thinly brush on some groundnut oil, sprinkle some black pepper and salt and then cover with suya mix. Ensure all sides are well coated. Allow to stand for a few minutes (10-20 minutes. Carefully place coated salmon stakes on a hot barbeque grill or hot griddle. Turn steaks on their sides frequently to ensure even cooking. Serve hot with choice salad.


Featured Recipe - Spinach Dodo

This makes a light evening meal. Simple to make and very appropriate for this and all seasons! Ready in 30 mins. Serves: 1 person

  • 1 plum tomato
  • Quarter of a small onion
  • Mushrooms
  • 2 bunches of spinach
  • 4 large king prawns
  • Some smoked turkey pieces
  • 2 seasoning cubes
  • 1 Plantain (just ripe-greenish/yellow skin)
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Salt

Method:

  • Pick the spinach leaves. Do not cut or shred. Wash and allow to drain. Heat about 100ml of water in a pot, add one seasoning cube and allow to dissolve. Then add the spinach leaves and stir. Allow the leaves to wilt alittle bit, Remove from heat drain and set aside. Meanwhile, dice the plantain and fry until golden brown. Set aside. In a sauce pan, heat the oil, add the dices tomatoes and onions and allow to fry until slighly browned. Add the second seasoning cube. Stir well, add the prawns. Then add the blanched spinach leaves and stir into the emerging sauce. Finally add the fried dodo. Serve immediately


Featured Recipe - Minestrone (with some Nigerian vegetables)


Minestrone is simply defined as a soup made with a variety of vegetables. It is eaten to welcome in the Spring season due to the abundance of fresh seasonal vegetables. Nigerian's daily diet includes a vegetable soup or stew but the use of multiple variety of vegetables is not that commom.

As it is Easter, I will like you to try this very traditional Western soup using some some traditional Nigerian vegetables and spices. I have also included some pieces of smoked turkey and king prawns.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes, Serves: 2 people

  • Half a cup of Nigerian brown beans (oloyin beans), pick stones & wash
  • Juice of 1 tin of plum tomatoes
  • A variety of seasonal vegetables of your choice - mushrooms, pumpkin leaves (ugwu), broccoli, peas, fresh basil, spring onions, carrots, etc
  • 1 teaspoon pepper soup mix (optional)
  • 4 large king prawns
  • 1 seasoning cube
  • 750 ml of stock
  • 100g of smoked turkey
  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil
  • Salt

Method:

  • Prepare all vegetables and put to one side. Pre boil the beans until just soft. Pour the tomato juice into a large pot and add the stock. Also add the pepper soup mix and seasoning cube. Then bring to the boil. Turn down heat and add the vegetables one at a time according to their tolerance to heat. Add the turkey pieces and prawns. Add the olive oil and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with some salt and black pepper. Serve with some bread.


Featured Recipe - Spicy Baked Red Bream

Simple fish dish. Ready in minutes. Serves: 1 person

  • Red bream (any preferred fish will do)
  • 2 spoons of suya mix
  • oil
  • Salt

Method:

  • Clean fish, rub some salt and allow to stand for a few minutes. Then dust on the suya mix, drizzle some oil and place in an oven dish. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Done. Serve with roasted mixed vegetables.


Featured Recipe - Roast Vegetables

Serves: 4 person

  • Yam
  • Plantains (unripe but soft to the squeeze)
  • Mushrooms
  • Red and yellow sweet peppers
  • Zouchini or courgettes
  • Seasoning Salt (black pepper, oregano, paprika powder, sea salt)
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

  • Pre-heat oven to 220 of Gas mark 5. Cut vegetables into equal chunks the mix with oil and seasoning salt. For the yam, boil first for about 5 minutes (depending on how large the chunks are) to ensure it cooks through its core when placed in the oven. Transfer vegetables onto a large flat roasting tin, and spread them out into a single layer. Cook for about 40 minutes. Check regularly and move vegetables around to allow equal heat distribution.


Featured Recipe - African Brown Beans & Sweetcorn Mash

Preparation Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes, Serves: 2 people

  • 500g of African brown beans (oloyin beans), pick stones & wash
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon ground chilli powder (optional)
  • 1 350g can of sweet corn, drain water (or 200g 0f frozen sweet corn)
  • 100ml of palm oil
  • 1 litre of water
  • Salt
  • Sugar

Method:

  1. Boil beans in a pressure cooker without placing the lid in the first instance. Coarsely blend the tomatoes and onion and add to beans. Also add 1 seasoning cube, chilli powder if using, cover the pressure cooker and boil under pressure for 15 minutes or until beans become just soft to the touch.
  2. Remove pressure cooker from heat and open carefully. Using a wooden spoon carefully stir beans. Then add sweet corn to the beans. Stir well. Add salt and 2 table spoons of sugar or more if preferred. Stir well.
  3. Turn down heat and add the palm oil. Add about half a cup of hot water to adjust the consistency. Cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve hot.


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Contributed Recipes

Nsala Soup: A local delicacy from the Eastern part of Nigeria. Contributed by O Dakat, Kent.

Obe Luru: Made from dried okra fingers.Contributed by Agnes T. Ilorin Nigeria.