Is eating crazy finger-licking delicacy your thing? Then, Africa is the best continent to be if you'd like to have mind-blowing tastes of good native dishes (especially in Nigeria). You get to eat meals that'd have your finger scraping the plate for more. Here is a concise article on 5 Popular Nigerian Dishes You Shouldn't Miss As a Tourist.

Native delicacies are quite a handful. It requires serious cooking, measuring, and monitoring to be the very best. If you’re not careful with preparing such meals, it could end up being a beautiful disaster to the mouth.

Nigeria has a lot of famous native delicacies that help to accentuate the many divergent ethnic groups residing within her boundaries. These foods serve as native relics to the people of a certain ethnic community.

In Nigeria, these native foods are either served on special occasions or cooked for cherished people on important days. For example, the afang (or okazi) soup of the south southern people in Nigeria was usually served only when visitors were around.

Though most of these items have become a general day-to-day meal in the urban cities, they're revered meals in the local communities, as certain processes are put in place to see their actualisation. This makes it rare and dear.

There are a lot of famous meals in Nigeria. However, this article will be focused on the most popular native foods without aberration. These foods take a lot of time to cook, but it becomes the best at the end of the day.

Afang Soup
Afang Soup.
Afang Soup.

This is a local dish that is said to have originated from the South Southern part of Nigeria.

This delicacy requires a lot of ingredients, as it is usually rich in protein and minerals.

Certain ingredients in its recipe are; grounded crayfish, onions, beef, palm oil, water leaf and other necessary condiments needed to make it exceptional.

When on fire, the afang leaf is required to simmer for less than 5 minutes.

The Afang leaf is also known as “Okazi” by the South Eastern people of Nigeria (Igbos).

It could also be a palatable cook-along to other Nigerian dishes, such as Egusi (Melon) soup. It is best served with the cassava product fufu.

It is a popular meal among the Efik/Ibibio indigenes of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States in Nigeria respectively.

Banga Soup
Banga Soup.

This native dish is commonly referred to as Ofe Akwu; which implies “palm fruit soup” (ofe – soup & akwu – palm fruit).

It is very common among the South Eastern people of Nigeria; and referred to as the “meal of the Niger Deltans.”

Certain ingredients are needed such as the palm fruit by which the meal generates its cooking oil from.

Other items like dried beef, salt, seasoned cubes, stock fish etc. are essential in the making of this delicacy. It is best served with the cassava product, eba.

Efo Riro
Efo Riro.

A revered dish in the South Western part of Nigeria. It’s popularly referred to as the "YORUBA MAN’S MEAL.”

It is a rich meal that has a lot of organic items.

“Efo means vegetable” according to the Yorubas.

Thus, the implication of the name is ”Vegetable Soup” also known as EDIKANIKONG by the Ibibio & Efik ethnic groups of Nigeria.

This meal is a product of the mixture of nutritious ingredients such as pumpkin, stock-cubes, tomatoes, meat or fish.

Efo Riro is a very popular meal and best served with fufu (a local cassava consumable product). It is also always prepared to be peppery.

Ogbono Soup
Ogbono Soup.

Another prized native delicacy. OGBONO is commonly referred to as “every man’s meal.”

It is always cooked in an uncovered pot, due to its slimy nature. Ingredients such as seasoned cubes, onions, palm oil, grounded crayfish, pepper, shrimps, pumpkin or hot leaf etc. all make up its recipe list.

Despite the fact that almost every tribe in Nigeria knows and cooks the Ogbono soup, and its origin seems lost.

There are still claims that it originated from the South Eastern Part of Nigeria.

Tuwo Shinkafa
Tuwo Shinkafa.

A prominent meal for every man in the Northern part of Nigeria.

Tuwo Shinkafa serves as an accompaniment to other dishes, especially soups or stews.

Tuwo Shinkafa, also known as Rice Pudding. Since it’s gotten from rice. It’s often cooked, mashed or pounded.

A delicacy that’s common and prominent amongst the Hausa people, inhabitants of the Northern part of Nigeria.

Native Nigerian dishes are prized meals that leave the mouth watering, and in raging need for more. It is said that no man tastes an African meal, especially NIGERIA’S, and goes back without a craving hunger for more.

Except for the chef that prepared such a dish had no idea of the intricacies of cooking a good meal, especially that of a local Nigerian meal.

Still interested in knowing more about popular local Nigerian delicacies? Wait for more with this Creator.

James is a professional content writer in divergent niches including marketing, food, travel, etc.

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