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Nigerian Soup Staples The New Nigerian Cookery

The ‘Ebbage’ – the new Nigerian soup staple

Yes, you read that correctly. Take a few moments to laugh would you, because I definitely did. This #fitfam movement is inspiring all sorts of revolutionary Nigerian recipes. All hail #TheNewNigerianCookery. Temitope of Stunnababez Cuisine first introduced us to fortifying our soup staples with vegetables. See Post HERE, and see quick pictorial summary of the process i.e. blend your veg, combine with your choice of staple flour and cook till firm.

 

How to colour your soup staples. Blend your choice of veg, add to the staple flour and cook till solid. Use bland veg, so as not to affect taste

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:17am PST

 

Let me digress a bit, and talk about the word “swallow”. For the love of everything polite, I am still wondering how we came upon that word. It doesn’t evoke any pleasant food thoughts to be honest. I know it came from trying to find an English word for “okele”, but I am not sure “swallow” was a good alternative. I stuck to using the word solids, which in retrospect, what the heck was I thinking myself. Saying “solid” is just as bad, as it doesn’t mean anything. For creating content on the new blog, I was seeking out creative ways for certain categories. My friend Ade and I came up with The New Nigerian Cookery, which in my opinion is 100 shades of fabulous to describe the new wave of Nigerian Cooking. The next thing was to do something about that word “swallow”. Ade too can’t stand it, kindred spirit right there. We tried all sorts of permutations and one day while Googling Garri and other “solid foods” for inspiration, I came across a Wiki page. The word “staples” kept repeating itself on the page and from the dictionary meaning of the word “staples”, I knew I was on to something, and then it occurred to me to create the phase “Nigerian Soup Staples”. Eba, Amala, Fufu, Pounded yam are staples commonly served with Nigerian soups. Make sense eh?

Now, back to the “Ebbage”. Colouring a soup staple is fun using blended veg, but if you are averse to green, red or orange Eba for example, you can add the veg in whole, for the added bonus of also bulking up your soup staple, to help you feel fuller for longer.

 

If you are making a Nigerian Soup Staple for let's say your family. When you are #fitfam conscious you have to keep a close eye on quantity. Try forming the tangerine shape. Roughly about the size of your palm. Don't forget to bulk up with veg for the #fullerforlongerfeeling. For dinner I had a tangerine shaped vegetable fortified Oatmeal (Quaker oats) with Egusi Ijebu. Guess what, 1cup of Semovita = 600 cal. 1.5 cup = 900 calories. Pause and scream!!!. Sprinkling #holywater on the little packet in my store ?. 1 cup of garri = 330 – 443 calories. 100g of pounded yam = 179 calories. Meanwhile 80g of poundo iyan = 285cal. More reasons to make real pounded yam. 1 cup of yam flour (amala) = 200 calories. 1cup of Oatmeal on the other hand is 158 calories. #eatNigerianfoodandmovemore

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 13, 2015 at 12:07pm PST

 

 

 

Marks and Spencer has this range of ready meals called "Fuller for longer". I don't advocate ready meals, even if it is from MandS. #teamcookyourownfood. Anyways, if you've ever looked at the dishes in that range, you will notice some ingredients are added, mainly for bulking up the food. Applying those same principles, I added greens to my oatmeal and served with Egusi Ijebu in keeping with the #eatNigerianfoodandmovemore Campaign. Apt right, considering the soup doesn't contain veg at all. Kept to my tangerine shape for portion control and I am FULL. I normally would eat twice that portion ???.You can do this with any soup staple. You don't really have to give them up, just eat less and use healthy veg to make up the difference and still feel full. #healthyNigerianfood #fortifyyoursoupstaples #fitfam ??

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 13, 2015 at 12:21pm PST

 

Last summer, this was all the rave, in different colours and shapes

 

This was all the rave last year. Colouring Eba and the rest of Nigerian Soup Staples with blended veg, from Ugu, to Spinach, to lettuce. I had so much fun, I would like to bring it back ???. Not for the faint hearted, but the adventurous

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:04am PST

 

 

 

 

Tbw – patriotic Eba and miyan gyeda

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:23am PST

 

My favourite – such a beautiful picture, funny how people responded more positively

 

Surf and Turf Otong Soup with Tangerine Eba. Minimal presentation, the food speaks for itself. ???. Method in Bio.

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:07am PST

 

People tried it with beetroot, also veg and even beans. Then my friend Vivian put up a picture of her purple Eba on Facebook, which I also shared on Instagram. The comments were hilarious. See top right.

 

Choose your colour. Let's be children again. This time Mummy can't tell you to stop playing with your food ???. Method in Bio. Any veg, from white cabbage to lettuce, to spinach, someone has tried it with beetroot before, you can use bell peppers (tatashe). The colours of the rainbow are at your feet. #allnatural #NigerianSoupStaples. From garri, to Semo, to oatmeal, to fufu, to Tuwo masara or shinkafa, even Elubo. #playwithuourfood and eat more veg at the same time

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:38am PST

 

Vivian pureed purple cabbage, heated it up and added a handful of garri to firm it up, so technically, she is consuming more veg than starch. Genius right. Last week, I shared all my pictures shown above on fortifying soup staples with veg, and it kept my Instagram page very busy for hours. See why you should kindly follow @dooneyskitchen. The comments were just the best. I doubled over laughing so many times, I gave myself a headache. The purple Eba post was the busiest that day. I suggested that people can also use White cabbage, if the purple colour wasn’t agreeable. Oh, the comments. Click on it and laugh your head off.

 

Okay scream ????. Vivian has been doing this for months now???. She puréed purple cabbage and then added less than a handful of garri to firm it up, so she consumes less carbs and more veg. This was her lunch today. That girl has lost a bucket load of weight. #eatNigerianfoodandmovemore. You can purée any veg you like. Also white cabbage if you want to keep to the colour of your staple flour

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 14, 2015 at 6:28am PST

 

Switching between Social media accounts can make my head spin on some days, but hey, I take it all in stride. That afternoon on a fitness group, Olaedo put up this picture using white cabbage and oatmeal. I also shared on Instagram and the comments

 

This "Ebbage" is catching on. Re-inventing the Nigerian Soup Staple. This is by Olaedo. Again, blend cabbage with some water to form a purée. Stir in a pot till it is almost dry, add a tablespoon of garri/oats and stir till it firms up. This was served with oilless vegetable soup. I am so trying it myself very soon. All hail the #Ebbage ??????

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 17, 2015 at 8:00am PST

 

 

“I would rather be fat”

“I would rather eat more soup”

“The fat had better take over”

Come on people, it is not that bad. The day after, another fitfam sister Ruona also tried it and it is from her, the word “Ebbage” came about. Eba + Cabbage. Get it? Lol

 

#fitfamily get in here. Do you remember the purple Eba I posted a few days ago? I suggested that you can also use white cabbage, to keep to the natural colour of Eba. Ruona Meyer did so yesterday. From the top right, puréed white cabbage, transferred to a pot and heated up a little to cook and also reduce the water content. In Ruona's words, "you turn the cabbage on fire like amala and just when it is thick and all the water has disappeared you add your thickener/binder e.g. Garri, oats or wheatmeal. I really enjoyed it and the only thing I will do next time is grind it without water so I can have it thicker. But honestly it worked and I will be eating the other half of my cabbage tomorrow! She calls it "Ebbage" ????

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 17, 2015 at 6:52am PST

 

I love the Nigerian social media food space. You come across all kinds of things. If you are a true foodie, you should get in on the action. There are many Nigerian food pages to follow on Instagram and Facebook. Your kitchen will never be boring. So, from henceforth, why don’t we call every vegetable fortified Nigerian Soup staple, “Ebbage”, like a collective word for it. Whether you use Oatmeal like Ameena, or Garri like this @zumbaforlife who immediately tried it,

 

Told you guys the #Ebbage is catching on. Sent in by @zumbaislife. In her words, "quite easy to make, one has to get over the puréed cabbage, but I am up for substitution for healthier options". Long live The Ebbage ??. Now, I just have to try this.

A photo posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 17, 2015 at 10:21am PST

 

Welcome to 2015, the year of The Ebbage. As many of us are making healthier food options, this is a great way to consume less of our starchy soup staples in one meal, and replacing with veg. You can try this with White Cabbage or even Pureed carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut squash, Pumpkins, Celeriac, basically root vegetables that will hold their own. Some root veg might be too sweet that others though, so be mindful of that. Not sure leafy greens will do a good job though as they don’t contain as much fibre. The bland tasting the better, but I guess you can get used to the taste, especially as you are pairing it with a delicious Nigerian Soup.

Here is my video of making the Ebbage

 

The making of the Ebbage. One tangerine portion was made with 1/4 cup of Garri. That small. #ineverhessperredit. #fitfam. To save on cooking time to preserve some of the nutrients, pass the puréed cabbage through a fine sieve to drain out the water, like you can also do for blended pepper to save time from boiling. #Ebbage

A video posted by Dooney's Kitchen.com (@dooneyskitchen) on Jan 20, 2015 at 12:42am PST

 

Let’s Cook

Save Print
The 'Ebbage'
Author: Dunni Obata
Recipe Category: Nigerian Soup Staples
Prep time:  5 mins
Cook time:  10 mins
Total time:  15 mins
Serves: 1
 
A healthy lifestyle option to incorporate more veg, and fibre into erstwhile starch soup staples
Ingredients
  • ¼ - ½ a small Cabbage
  • ¼ - ½ cup of Staple flour - semolina, oatmeal, garri,
  • Green vegetable - optional, but it would help cut down on the sweetness
  • Water
Instructions
  1. Cut your cabbage into Chunks and puree in a blender with as little water as possible
  2. Transfer to a pot. You can also puree green veg with the cabbage
  3. You can also transfer into a fine sieve to drain the water out, thereby cutting down on the cooking time and preserving the nutrients in the cabbage.
  4. Cook the pureed cabbage until it almost starts to dry up
  5. Add the powdered staple flour and stir till it firms up - refer to video above.
  6. Once firm, the bottom of the pot should be almost clean
  7. The Ebbage, should have a look and feel of cooked Eba
  8. Here is the green version using cabbage and greens
Notes
You can also try this with purple cabbage, cauliflower, and I have even heard of Brussels Sprouts. For one tangerine shaped portion that fit on the base of my palm, I only used ¼ cup of garri. Would you believe that? ¼ cup.

I do realise that we traditionally don't use cabbage in our savoury dishes, as Nigerians, so if you are skeptical about this, why don't you try using Tatashe - red bell pepper, or even green pepper. You may just prefer that
3.2.2925

Here are two pictures of people who have tried the Ebbage

IMG_2217.JPG

Using red pepper – tatashe. The one with no heat

IMG_2218.PNG

Oh, and Dupe another #Fitfam sister tried what we now call the CauliPoundo. She pounded cauliflower with boiled yams. Brilliant eh. 2015, the year of The New Nigerian Cookery


8 Comments

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FILED UNDER: Nigerian Soup Staples, The New Nigerian Cookery
TAGGED WITH: eba, ebbage, garri
Dooney

About Dooney

Dooney is the blogger, recipe developer and photographer for Dooney's Kitchen. I spend my days trying to figure out creative ways to redefine Nigerian food, either by creating a new dish itself using ingredients in ways that have never been used before, or changing the approach to Nigerian cooking using kitchen gadgets.

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Comments

  1. Avatararchiwiz says

    January 22, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    Love this! Now, only if my husband would agree to try it. :p

    Reply
  2. AvatarChiO says

    January 22, 2015 at 9:13 pm

    Interesting way to get more fiber in. I like.

    Reply
  3. AvatarEmem says

    February 4, 2015 at 11:38 pm

    Tried this using cabbage with semovita. Amazing result, one would hardly tell (the cabbage was about a third of the portion, thus reducing the semo content by a third). My kids ate very well, and hubby didnt know until i told him. He loved it and encourage me to keep it up. I used the fine portion of a regular kitchen grater instead of a blender (PHCN wahala), and it was a success

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      February 5, 2015 at 1:08 pm

      Ooooh, love that you pushed the envelope. Semobbage. Well done

      Reply
  4. AvatarDera says

    February 5, 2015 at 1:01 am

    FitFam from now on……..I just told hubby its from that food website(ever since the garden egg sauce, he always remembers “that food website”) and he was game…

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      February 5, 2015 at 1:07 pm

      hahahahahahaha. Love that Dera

      Reply
  5. AvatarAmanda says

    February 19, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Wow…I’m so trying ds d next ti I’m taking “swallow” oh I love colors. All hail fitfam. Lool… Glad I found ur blog btw. Bookmarked!

    Reply
  6. AvatarAde O says

    March 6, 2015 at 2:58 am

    A friend of mine just sent me this Ebbage link. Awesome! Will certainly try it.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Dunni Obata, and I am what you would call the poster child for redefining Nigerian food. Welcome to Dooney's Kitchen, the home of Nigerian centric food, detailed recipes and sharing personal stories. Read more...

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