Good, tasty African dishes: Unreasonable Order

Good, tasty African dishes: Unreasonable Order: "On Friday evening an old client e-mailed a request for Moi-Moi that she wanted for the next day.In view of the work involved in preparing th..."

Unreasonable Order

On Friday evening an old client e-mailed a request for Moi-Moi that she wanted for the next day.In view of the work involved in preparing this delight we were both apprehensive but in agreement that Moi-Moi was a great addition to the menu.
Between the soaking, peeling, washing and blending of the black-eye peas the order was ready just in time soon after the reception started. Although most of the guests were new to this dish it made for great conversation and  friendship especially with a glass of wine. To my suprise a taste test by one of the other chefs resulted in a marriage proposal. Good food works wonders. It opens inner doors to the soul mind and body.

The mystery of black-eye peas, seasonings, spices delivered with a smile- Visit us on facebook at www.facebook.com/MyWifesHands    

Secrete recipes

Beans Akara- An exotic use of black-eye beans commonly known in West Africa as Beans Akara. a blend of black-eye peas, salt, white pepper, water and oil.



                                                Black-eye peas used to create an delicious tasting serving of Olehleh, A choice of vegetable oil or Palmoil as preferred for coloring and taste. A strategic blend of fish or ground beef, seasonings, spices and water. New recipes for your dinner table. 

Good, tasty African dishes: The Way We Were- Bitter Leaf/ Egusi soup

Good, tasty African dishes: The Way We Were- Bitter Leaf/ Egusi soup: "It’s the weekend. The menu is focused on Palava sauce aka Plasas and the starch/carbohydrate is foofoo. Among the choices for palavasuace in..."

The Way We Were- Bitter Leaf/ Egusi soup

It’s the weekend. The menu is focused on Palava sauce aka Plasas and the starch/carbohydrate is foofoo. Among the choices for palavasuace includes Bittas aka bitter leaves,  egusi soup, KrainKrain, Okra, Shakpa etc…

Its early Saturday morning, fresh peppers are being grinded on the pepeh stone ( ie: a combination of a relatively contoured almost flat iron stone used in combination with a smaller rounded version of iron stone to grind foods). The Matorodoo ( A wooden bucket caved out of a tree stump) is being cleaned along with the Motar pencil (a long wooden rod carved from a tree trunk). The dried Barrcuta fish is being plucked making certain that nothing goes to waste. The leaves are being prepared cut up washed and pounded if necessary.

As the sun rises in the Horizon its light is greeted with the risng smoke from the fireplace. Varied sizes of stones strategically placed together with chosen woods topped with a mesh of iron positioned to receive the large pot.

The rooster crows -Cock-O-rioooooo-Kooooooh its about six- o- clock. The cooking process begins. The aroma fills the air, the sounds of wood crackling as the fire burns, songs sang to pass time and quell the labor of grinding, pounding and cutting. This mixture of sounds, sight, laughter, agony and smell builds up with the rising heat from the Sun and fireplace as the meal for the day is prepared.  

Looking Ahead

The name Awujoh in Nigeria means festive gathering. In Sierra Leone where I am from Awujoh is a festive celebration that is usually comprised of most if not all of our delicacies. Like Palava sauce an Awujoh is a delicious eclectic blend of a large variety of foods in celebration of any one of the life's three stages-birth, living and death.
My wife's Hands-The cookbook opens the door to the methods and skills used in the preparation of some of these dishes with detailed information from a learned restauranteur/husband/father/businessman- Shika Ademu-John. Before the Cookbook was Awujoh the restaurant. As we await a possible re-opening we present you with recipes and facts that may guide you to new dishes that encourage and promote healthier lifestyles.