Maize is one of the most important cereals in the world. Its production is common in most parts of Nigeria where it is prepared and consumed in different ways by different ethnic groups. Maize is a seasonal food with high nutritional content. It also has some medicinal values. Below are seven meals you can prepare from it.
Pap
This is a meal most Nigerians enjoy from cradle to the grave. Variously called or ogi, this food is easy to prepare. Preparing pap for personal or family use is easy. Simply soak maize grains in cold water for three days. Rinse severally in clean water. Grind it to a smooth paste. Tie it up in a cotton sack bag to extract every drop of water from it. Once this is done, the pap is ready. Whenever you want to make a meal of it, take out the desired amount and prepare. Although pap can be enjoyed at any time of the day, it is best served at breakfast or supper.
Igbo-Oka (Corn Pudding)
Corn pudding is a healthy local delicacy. Except for the change in the principal ingredients, – which is also known as beans pudding shares similarities with corn pudding. However, while the former is made from beans, the latter is made from fresh corn. To make corn pudding, fresh corn is blended and combined with ingredients such as pepper, crayfish, groundnut oil, etcetera. Afterwards, it is packaged in leaves, foil or aluminium plates and steamed.
Adalu
This is a different method of preparing beans porridge. The first time I tasted this food was in boarding school. We called it Bean-Co. This meal is a cooked combination of sweet corn and beans. It is very nutritious; it is one delicacy that is rich in carbohydrates and protein.
Popcorn
This is one of the most popular snacks made from maize. This snack is a great lunchtime snack for school children, at least it was in my day. To hear me say that, you’d think I’m one old lady. Lol. Popcorn is also perfect for cinema dates. It is very easy to prepare and can be made at home. To prepare, heat the corn inside a deep pot with little groundnut oil. It starts popping after a few minutes. Popcorn can be eaten cold or straight off the heat. It is tasty and economical snack.
Elekute
This snack is common in South-Western Nigeria. It is enjoyed by children and adults alike. The maize grains are dried, roasted and blended into a powdery form which is then mixed with granulated sugar. Elekute can be eaten with roasted groundnut or coconut.
Tuwo
This corn flour swallow originates from Northern Nigeria and is quite popular there. This meal is nutritious and easy to prepare. It is a fitting replacement for semo, eba, or loi loi. It is best served hot with any delicious soup.
Roasted Corn
This delicious, crunchy snack floods our street during the rainy season. The whole freshly harvested corn is roasted with hot-charcoal over a wire-gauze until the seeds become brown. It is then eaten off the cob. The aroma of freshly roasted corn is seductive. It beckons on you as you walk the street. As the aroma fills your nostrils and wraps itself around you, you cannot help but stop to ask the vendor, “Madam, abeg, how you dey sell?” That, my people, is the power of roasted corn.
Sources
A.A. Abdulrahman and O.M. Kolawole, Traditional Preparations and Uses of Maize in Nigeria http://www.ethnoleaflets.com/leaflets/kolawole.html.
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