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Ukwa Porridge

Also known as Ukwa Porridge (Hot African Breadfruit Pottage)

Hot ukwa porridge is the Igbo breadfruit meal: seeds boiled until they burst into a thick, glossy pottage, then finished with palm oil, crayfish, pepper and potash. Lounje already has Ukwa Salad, which is the dressed, drier plate. This is the steaming one-pot version eaten with a spoon.

Ukwa Porridge, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of dried ukwa seeds (African breadfruit)
  • 1 small piece of potash (akanwu), the size of a marble
  • 2 cooking spoons of palm oil
  • 2 handfuls of ground crayfish
  • 2 Atarodo peppers, blended
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 seasoning cubes, crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • A handful of uziza leaves, shredded — optional
  • Soaked stockfish or dry fish, flaked — optional

Method

  1. 01

    Wash and soak the ukwa overnight. Drain.

  2. 02

    Put the seeds in a large pot with fresh water and the potash. Boil hard, then simmer 1 hour or until a seed mashes easily between your fingers. Add boiling water as needed so they stay covered. A pressure cooker shortens this to about 40 minutes.

  3. 03

    When the seeds are fully soft and beginning to thicken into a porridge, stir in palm oil, crayfish, pepper, onion, seasoning cubes, salt and fish if using.

  4. 04

    Simmer 10 to 15 minutes until glossy and spoonable. Fold in uziza leaves. Serve hot.

More porridge & breakfast puddings