Cookbook:African Salad II

Ingredients
When preparing Abacha, the more ingredients used, the tastier and more "complete" the dish will be:


 * 3 handfuls abacha (shredded dried cassava)
 * 2 cups ugba (ukpaka)
 * 30 cl red palm oil
 * 2 tablespoons powdered edible potash (food tenderizer)
 * 2 teaspoons ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
 * Habanero pepper, to taste
 * 4 tablespoons ground crayfish
 * 2 stock cubes (preferably Knorr brand), crushed
 * 2 onions, diced
 * Ogiri (castor seed paste)
 * Other meat and vegetables for the Abacha
 * Fish (mackerel/dryfish/stockfish)
 * Ponmo/kanda (cow skin)
 * 3 fresh utazi leaves
 * Salt, to taste
 * Garden eggs (white eggplant)
 * Garden egg leaves

Procedure

 * 1) Soak the shredded abacha in cold water for 10 minutes until it softens. Pour boiling water over it and drain.
 * 2) Rinse the ugba with warm water.
 * 3) Dissolve the potash in water and sieve out any residual solids.
 * 4) Stir the potash water with the palm oil in a pot until it forms a yellowish paste. Place on the heat, and stir in the ground ehu, pepper, crayfish, and seasoning.
 * 5) Stir in the crushed stock cubes, diced onions, and ugba. Take off the heat.
 * 6) Mix in the ogiri, then add meat and fish if using.
 * 7) Mix in the abacha, allowing the ingredients to blend.
 * 8) Add sliced utazi and salt to taste.
 * 9) Garnish with chopped garden egg leaves and sliced onions.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Abacha is made by boiling and grating/shredding cassava tubers.
 * Ukpaka or ugba is shredded oil bean seeds. It is optional, and if not added it won't affect the end result.
 * Red palm oil must be used when preparing abacha.
 * If garden egg leaves are not available, baby spinach leaves are a good alternative.
 * At least one type of fish must be used in preparing abacha. You can use stockfish, dryfish (e.g. catfish, mangala), fried mackerel, and/or smoked fish.
 * Crayfish much be added.
 * Pepper must be used—you can either add habanero pepper (recommended) or dry cayenne pepper. Habanero pepper is atarodo, atarugu or ose oyibo. Black pepper is not a good fit for abacha.
 * Add ogiri for the classic traditional taste, but if not available you should add stock cubes.
 * Edible potash (akanwu, kaun, keun) is what makes palm oil curdle and it is a must. If you do not have it or you do not want to eat edible potash, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) has similar properties.
 * Be careful when adding salt, since the dish contains lots of ingredients that already have salt (stockfish, stock cubes, crayfish, etc).