Achicha, dry cocoyam
Achicha, dry cocoyam is pre-cooked, sun-dried cocoyam and it lends its name to the vegetarian dish made with it. Achicha is not only delicious and filling but low in calories made with black beans (akidi oji)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Akidi or fiofio
- 1 cup Achicha
- 10 cups water
- 1 cup palm oil
- 1 large onions 1 cup sliced
- 3 scotch bonnet fresh pepper
- small bunch of Ugu or scent leaves nchu-anwu
- 2 seasoning cubes
- 1 cup ugba ukpaka, shredded oil bean seed
- salt
Instructions
- Pick out any stones and grit from the akidi (black beans).
- Soak in water for 2 hours.
- Drain and place akidi with 6 cups of water in a pot, place over high heat.
- Cover the pot but keep slightly open to avoid it boiling over.
- Keep adding more water as needed, until akidi is soft, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, coarsely pound the achicha, just to break it up a bit.
- Wash about two or more times in water and soak in enough clean water to cover it.
- Let to soak for one hour.
- Drain achicha from the soaking water. Squeeze out as much water as you can and break it into tiny pieces.
- Place in aluminium foil or plastic wrap and wrap tightly.
- Drop the parcel into the softened and boiling akidi.
- Cook for 30 minutes and take off the heat.
- Drain both from the water.
- Slice onions, chop the pepper and shred scent leaves.
- In a clean saucepan or pot, heat palm oil but do not bleach.
- Add sliced onions, pepper, scent leaves, seasoning cubes and ugba, stir and taste. Add salt.
- Stir fry for about one minute.
- Add akidi and achicha.
- Stir and simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Take off the heat and serve.
Notes
- Achicha can be made with green amaranth, ugu or scent leaves.
- It can be served with Okazi (ukazi, afang)salad.
- How small you pound achicha, dry cocoyam or break into pieces is a matter of preference.
- Soaking the (black beans) akidi oji is optional. It is supposed to cut down the cooking time and remove some of the antinutrients found in legumes.
