By Sodiq Lawal
There are more than a thousand foods that are made and consumed in Nigeria daily. Foods abound that are only indigenous to certain ethnic group, but not known by other ethnic groups.
However, there are general foods that are loved by almost every Nigeria. Therefore, we seek to interact with the most consumed foods in Nigeria that are delicious and popular.
1. Rice: Rice is by far the most common food in Nigeria and has been so for a long time. It is grown mostly in the Northern part of Nigeria because the climate suits rice farming. Apart from the Northern part of Nigeria, rice is also grown in the South-East, particularly Ebonyi state, and precisely in Abakaliki. Rice is prepared in different ways. We have rice and stew, rice and sauce, rice and gravy, coconut rice, jollof rice, and fried rice.
2. Garri: Garri is a widely consumed food in Nigeria. It is cheaper and affordable. Infact, some have made it a daily food they can’t do without. Garri can be consumed in two major ways as a swallow meal, known as ‘eba’ to Yoruba people and simply called garri by the Igbos. Eba is made by adding garri into hot water and stirring or turning until it forms a dough. It can be eaten with any type of soup. The popular type of ‘eba’ is the one made with yellow garri.
3. Beans: Beans are among the most versatile and commonly-eaten foods throughout the world, and many varieties are grown in the Nigeria. Because of their nutritional composition, these economical foods have the potential to improve the diet quality and long-term health of those, who consume beans regularly. Beans is a leguminous crop eaten in Nigeria. It is highly proteinous and can be booked, served as a porridge, jollof beans, can be eaten with rice and can be eaten with bread.
4. Pounded Yam: Pounded yam is one of Nigeria’s most popular dishes and can be served with different soups depending on household preferences. Soups that can accompany this dish are Egusi, Ogbono, vegetable and Okro soup. Yam is boiled and pounded into a smooth mash. Nigerians abroad, depending on the availability of yam wherever they will be, substitute pounded yam using yam flour. However, this substitute does not taste like the original pounded yam. The Yoruba people are known to be fond of eating pounded yam, but other Nigerian ethnic groups like the Ibos, consume it too, especially during occasions such as the celebration of New Yam festival.
5. Suya: Suya is another popular dish in Nigeria that will give someone an appreciation of the country’s exceptional culinary culture. It is usually eaten in the evenings, and it is prepared from fish or meat doused with spices and then barbecued on a skewer. Ginger, peanuts, pepper, dried onions and various stock flavours are some of the spices used. The most outstanding phenomenon about Nigeria’s most consumed foods is the fact that they are almost all indigenous dishes for most consumed foods in Nigeria by giving the country a well-defined culinary culture.
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