Africa is blessed with various natural and delicious foods filled with nutrients. If you visit west Africa, especially Nigeria, there is one dish you must try before leaving : Amala, a popular and delicious food in West Africa.
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How To Prepare Amala: One of the Best Food in West Africa
What is Amala?
Amala is a traditional African dish popular in Nigeria’s southwest region. Elubo is the powdered or raw form of Amala before preparation. The delicacy is made from dried yams or yam peels (Elubo isu/Elubo dudu), cassava (Elubo lafun), and dried plantains or plantains peels (Elubo ogede).
The colour of Amala made from yam is brownish, while that made from cassava is whitish. The Amala made from plantain, on the other hand, is a light yellow colour.
Continue reading to learn how to make Amala in less than 10 minutes using a stress-free method.
How to Make Amala in 4 Easy Steps
There isn’t much that needs to be done to prepare Amala. Aside from your powdered Elubo, the only other thing you’ll need is a turning stick and some hot water.
Step One
Place 2 cups of yam flour (Elubo) in a pot with some water. It’s best if the water is at room temperature. Make a thorough mix. Continue to mix until you achieve the consistency shown in the picture.
Step Two
Place the mixture over a low heat setting. Gently pour a cup and a half of hot water over the flour mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Step Three
Stir the mixture as it cooks once it begins to bubble. Don’t be alarmed if the mixture looks lumpy while it’s cooking. It’s all part of the cooking process because the mixture cooks from the bottom of the pot. We’re looking for something thick and smooth. Continue turning and pulling the amala until it forms.
Step Four
Reduce the heat to low and add a splash of hot water at this point. The amount of water you use is determined by how thick or soft you want your Amala to be. Allow for steam cooking for four to five minutes after covering with a lid. Continue to turn and pull the amala after about four minutes of steaming until you achieve the desired softness and smoothness. If that’s the case, Amala is READY!!!
Amala is such a unique food in West Africa and it has its soup(Abula) specifically made for it. Trust me when I say that the soup you serve with your amala makes a difference in how much you enjoy it. In the absence of Abula, Amala goes with various soups, including Egusi, Efo Riro (vegetable soup), Okro, and Ewedu soup.
Final thought
Amala is not just one of the best food in West Africa it is also a popular international delicacies.