Breadfruit or Ukwa is an African delicacy which is common in Nigeria and usually prepared into a porridge delicacy in the Eastern part of Nigeria. The Botanical name for Ukwa is Treculia Africana. Although commonly cooked among the Igbos especially, different states or Igbo sub-tribes have different ways of cooking it. In Anambra, the water is usually set aside for drinking, side by side the main dish. Here we have the ingredients and procedures for preparing a well-garnished Ukwa Porridge. A lot of people are scared of buying Ukwa in the market due to the various ways of processing it. Some badly processed ones never get cooked on time or even till forever (lol). These ones are assumed to have been plucked and washed using cassava water. This consumes the ingredients used in cooking the Ukwa, such that no matter how much ingredients you add, the taste will hardly come out and you will burn your gas for nothing. The best way to know the Ukwa
Ingredients
1. Three cups of Ukwa.
2. 1 small dry fish. Soak in warm water for 20 minutes
3. Some pieces of thinly shredded kpomo or cow skin. You need to spice your kpomo and cook till tender before adding to the Ukwa
3. Some pieces of thinly shredded kpomo or cow skin. You need to spice your kpomo and cook till tender before adding to the Ukwa
4. One teaspoonful of ogili
5. Three to Four balls of red pepper
6. Two stock cubes
7. Half cooking spoon of red palm oil (You need just a little oil to colour the Ukwa Too much oil swallows up the taste of the Ukwa and leaves it to cook longer also).
8. Few leaves of fresh Onugbu/bitterleaf. You could use already squeezed one.
9. Quarter cup of crayfish
10. Two tablespoonfuls of shredded ukpaka
11. One small bulb of onion
12.. Salt to taste
Procedure
1. Pour water in a clean pot and leave to boil, then put a little salt. It is believed that this helps to soften the Ukwa faster.
2. Allow to cook until a bit tender. This should take about 30-45 minutes.
3. Slice the onion and continue cooking
4. Add pepper, crayfish and stock cubes and cook on low heat for a few minutes. I used Onga Cubes.
5. Add salt and ogili and keep cooking on low heat
6. After about 5 minutes, add the shredded ukpaka and dry fish
7. Add oil and leave to cook on low heat for 5 minutes
8. Cut the bitter leaves and add
9. Allow to cook for a few mintues, then you use a wooden spoon to stir together. Don't allow the water to dry up. There should be some water left to bind the Ukwa together.
NB: Before adding the ingredients, you could pour out some of the water from the cooking Ukwa for drinking. This is a delicacy for some people. Alternatively, you can serve the water side by side with the already cooked porridge Ukwa. .
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