10 Traditional Nigerian Dishes You Should Consider Adding To Your Wedding Menu

Abak atama

Abak Atama Soup is a very tasty soup popular amongst the Ibibios of Akwa Ibom State in Southern Nigeria. 
Its name is gotten from the two dominant ingredients: Palm Fruit Concentrate (Abak) and Atama Leaves.

The bottom part of the palm fruit used in preparing Abak Atama makes it similar to the Banga soup of the Niger Delta origin and the Ofe Akwu of the Igbos but the only thing differentiating these soups is in the spices and vegetables used for each of these soups and stews.

The abak atama soup goes with any type of swallow be it Eba, fufu or pounded yam.

Photo Credit: Ifykitchen

 

There are reports that about 5 million wedding ceremonies take place every year in Africa alone. This shows how much Africans loves celebrating weddings and it is well known that a celebration is not complete without a delicious traditional meal.

And this explains why every Nigerian wedding always takes “item 7” very serious. And so, we have carefully selected 10 traditional Nigerian dishes you should consider adding to your menu. 

Efo riro soup with pounded yam

The efo riro soup is a soup from the western part of Nigeria, the Yoruba’s are one of the major three tribe groups in Nigeria asides Igbo and Hausa.

The Yoruba’s take pride in this soup and see it as one of their favourite delicacies. It is also said that this soup has the medicinal values it provides the body.

Efo Shoko or Efo Tete (Green Amaranth) are the vegetables that can be used to cook this soup. While pounded yam is a staple food common in many countries in West Africa.

 

Masa/sinasir served with ram head soup

This delicacy can be traced to the Hausa tribe in Nigeria. This is also one of their popular indigenous delicacies.
This delicacy goes best with ram head. The making of this delicacy should take just 20 minutes.

Photo Credit: Legit.ng

 

Ofada sauce and rice

Most wedding guests always look forward to having a taste of this delicious delicacy. This delicacy is a must have on your wedding menu. Ofada stew is a tasty and spicy sauce which is usually served with boiled rice or ofada rice.

Photo Credit: Rekyehskitchen 

Bole, fish and sauce

Not your regular wedding menu. But, it is definitely a delicious food you should add to your menu. This food is indigenous to the Bayelsa/Rivers people of Nigeria.

The bole is riped plantain and a pepper sauce plus a roasted fish. This combination is nothing short of delicious.

Photo Credit: Southsouth_vibes

Ekpang nkukwo 

Efik and Ibibio tribe are popular for their cooking prowess. One of their unique delicacies is ekpang nkukwo.

Ekpang Nkukwo is similar to the Ijebu Ikokore this is because they are both pottage dishes. While Ikokore is only made with water yam, Ekpang Nkukwo is made with water yam and cocoyam and then wrapped in leaves.

Some do say you can make it just with the cocoyam, but it is advised you use both but heavier on the cocoyam, and just a little water yam to give it. You can add this delicacy to your wedding menu to give your guests, this traditional treats.

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Tuwo shinkafa served with miyangeda

Asides masa one of the Hausa’s most beloved delicacy is tuwo shinkafa. This delicious dish is served with a popular Hausa groundnut soup known as miyangeda.

The dish is made from rice, and then the soup is made up of white hibiscus (white zobo), and groundnut.

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Oha soup and fufu

Ofe Oha which is popularly called by the Igbos is one of the most delicious soups that is popularly made and eaten by the people of the southeast of Nigeria.

This is prepared by making use of Oha leaves and tastes very similar to beef soup, Oha soup can be considered as something special because of its delicious and unique taste

The fufu is a popular accompaniment of the oha soup however it can also go with other swallows like pounded yam.

Photo Credit: Instagram

Amala, gbegbiri and ewedu

Another popular food from the south west of Nigeria. It is a must-have for every event.

This soup will surely please your tastebuds! It is really not said why the Yoruba’s say that gbegiri goes best with amala but it definitely worth to be on your menu list.

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Ofe okazi and fufu 

As we know, fufu has no specific taste, it relies on the soup to bring out the flavored bliss in it, the ofe okazi soup is one of the Igbo’s indigenous soup. The combination of these two is just perfect.

It is the Igbo version of the Efik’s Afang soup. 
This tasty meal is usually cooked from vegetables, fish, meat and various spices. Also, you need a thickener for the soup. It could be cooked from melon achi or ukpo. Afang and okazi soup are quite similar.

However, there is one big difference which is a thickener and this is added to the soup.

Photo Credit: Instagram

I hope after reading this you find traditional meals of your choice to add to your wedding menu to grace your wedding ceremony.

Written by Temitope Ikusika