Isiewu and other strange Nigerian dishes

Visit a lot of places in Nigeria and you are sure to be served different kinds of delicacies indigenous to the people of that area. Some of these delicacies have garnered so much acclaim that their fame has transcended the regions they were originally specific to. This list takes you through some of the strangest sounding Nigerian dishes, from the strangest sources imaginable, from Isiewu to abacha.

Isi ewu

Isi ewu which in Igbo means, ‘Goat head’ is a popular eastern Nigerian delicacy made from, yes, goat heads. The goat head is cooked whole with hot habanero peppers, onions, potash (called akanwu in Nigeria), calabash nutmeg (called ehu in Nigeria), utazi leaves, palm oil and the goat brains. Before cooking the brains are scooped out, cooked separately in a waterproof bag and then added in as a thickener and extra nutrient. Yummy. *Isi ewu *is usually served steaming hot with a cold brew, palm wine or soft drink.

Roast termites

During the rainy seasons in Nigeria, which also happen to be the reproductive seasons for termites, it is common to see the winged creatures hovering around bright lights. In many parts of Nigeria, they are trapped in buckets of water and their wings are removed. The termites are then fried whole with salt, pepper and onions into a crunchy delicacy that can be eaten as a quick snack with soda drinks or beer.

‘404’

In many parts of Nigeria, especially the south-eastern states of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi, 404 is a special and very tasty delicacy believed to cure many ailments and diseases. Exactly where the origins of the name 404 came by is unclear, but 404 is actually dog meat, roasted or fried. The dogs are usually of a particular breed found mostly in the northern parts of Nigeria, they are trucked down to the south east and sold to the 404 restaurants where they are cut up, roasted or fried into special delicacies that can be eaten alone with palm wine (known in those parts as Tombo) or with stews and soups like the edikang ikong soup.

Edible

Looking at this list so far, a Nigerian delicacy called Edible definitely sounds yummy. No? Well, Edible is a popular delicacy from the Niger Delta area of Nigeria usually served on skewers made from giant, edible (now you see where the name comes from) tree worms. Yum. The worms are gotten from trees in the mangrove swamps of the Niger delta, roasted on skewers and served with dried cassava tapioca.

Abacha

Another delicacy of the Igbos of eastern Nigeria, this meal has been described as the African salad. Abacha *is made from sliced cassava, *ugba *(oil bean), garden eggs, garden egg leaves, onions, *ukazi leaves, palm oil, fishes and ponmo (cow skin). It is usually eaten as a dessert between meals, but it can be really as filling as any other.

So there they are some of the strangest sounding Nigerian delicacies. Did I miss any out, please add them in the comments.

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