LounjeLounjePlan my week

Walnut and Crayfish Anti-Inflammatory Broth

Walnut and Crayfish Anti-Inflammatory Broth is a modern Nigerian therapeutic preparation that extracts the beneficial compounds from African walnuts into a rich, deeply flavoured broth that is consumed as a medicinal drink. The ellagic acid, omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols in the African walnut dissolve into the broth during long boiling, creating a liquid with significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Walnut and Crayfish Anti-Inflammatory Broth, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 big cups of African walnuts (ukpa / asala), soaked overnight
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 1 teaspoon of ground uziza seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ehuru
  • 1 teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 glasses of water
  • A small handful of fresh scent leaves

Method

  1. 01

    Boiling the Walnuts for Extraction. Drain the soaked African walnuts. Place in a large pot with 6 glasses of fresh water. Add sliced onion, ground uziza seeds, ehuru and Cameroon pepper. Bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for 30 minutes — the long boiling extracts the therapeutic compounds from the walnuts into the broth.

  2. 02

    Adding the Crayfish. Add all the ground dried crayfish to the simmering walnut broth. Add seasoning cubes and salt. Continue simmering for 10 more minutes until the broth is very deeply flavoured and slightly thickened.

  3. 03

    Straining. Strain the broth through a fine sieve if consuming as a pure drink — or leave the softened walnut pieces in if consuming as a soup. The softened walnut flesh can be eaten alongside.

  4. 04

    Adding Scent Leaves and Finishing. Add torn scent leaves to the strained or unstrained broth. Taste and adjust all seasonings. Serve very hot.

More health & therapeutic recipes