One Of The Most Traditional Igbo Foods You Will Ever Taste: Cooked Yams and Ukpaka Stew

July 31, 2013

By Luchy

Sorry about the short absence. It is so unlike us to not post here more than a day. It happened that we were so busy all through the weekend. Sorry about that.

Now this recipe I’m sharing today is the first recipe I ever learned from my mother. Tomorrow is the first day of August and August is a big month where I come from. Most Igbo communities celebrate the New Yam Festival in the month of August. There will be masquerade dances and lots of yam eating. So in the spirit of the coming new yam festival let’s delve into the month of August with this delicious and easy yam recipe…

INGREDIENTS

Ugba or Ukpaka

Ogiri

Shredded utasi

~1 tuber of yam
~3 wraps of Ugba/Ukpaka (*Traditional thin sliced oil bean seed)
~1 small wrap Ogiri (*Castor bean paste)
~1 bunch Utasi leaves
~1 stock cube (DON’T USE CHICKEN FLAVORED STOCK CUBE)
~1 large onion
~Pepper to taste
~Salt to taste
~200ml Palm oil
*All ingredients can be sourced from any Igbo market.

PREPARATION
1) Chop Utasi leaves and pound in a mortar
2) If using fresh peppers grind peppers till smooth.
3) Chop the onion.

METHOD
1) Peel and slice yam. Cook yam slices in water until soft. Drain water from the cooked yams and set aside.

Cook Yams

2) Heat palm oil in a small pot. Add the chopped onion when oil is hot. Allow to fry for about 45 seconds.

Onion frying in palm oil

3) Add the ogiri. Using a spoon mash it against the side of the pot and and stir to mix with the oil.
4) Season with pepper, 1 stock cube and salt.
4) Add the pounded utasi leaves. Add the ugba immediately. Stir. Allow for a few seconds and set the pot down.

Add the ugba

Eat with cooked or roasted yams.

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