Roadside Foods in South-western Nigeria

By Singh Namrata

South-western Nigeria is mostly made up of the Yoruba clan. These are a boisterous and hardworking people. Their joie de vivre finds its way in their cuisine. They are most unapologetic of their love for oily, fatty foods which are delicious and extremely hard to resist. If you are in the vicinity, do try one of these delicacies, for they are bound to juggle your taste buds.

1. Puff-puff

This is a spongy, fried, golden brown snack made from flour, yeast, eggs, margarine, salt and eggs. It is similar to the French beignet and the Italian zeppole, and has a similarity with doughnuts. It is served hot and sprinkled with sugar. Usually found in roadside stalls, or hawked in bus parks, this snack is a favourite with the Yoruba people. It is spongy and sweet, and may even have some pepper added to contrast with its sweetness.

1. Dodo ikire

This is a delicacy that originated from Ikire in Osun state but enjoyed in South-western Nigeria. It is made from overripe plantain, palm oil, crushed bell peppers and salt. It is a round, black snack that is garnished with bell pepper seeds. Sold on street corners, and bus parks, they are usually accompanied with groundnut or bread and can also be enjoyed on its own. It has a sour- sweet, tartness which contrasts with the hot peppers. This snack demonstrates the innovativeness of the Yorubas, in their ability to make use of plantains that are about to go bad.

1. Bole/Boli *and *Epa

These are whole ripe, plantains roasted over hot coals by women in makeshift shacks on the roadsides. The plantain is cooked slowly, and is soft and sweet on the inside with a toasty outside. This is another favourite amongst the indigenes, who like to enjoy it with groundnut or smoked/grilled mackerel.

1. Smoked fish

Mackerel, tilapia, catfish and different varieties of fish are smoked over burning coals and served skewered. They are usually sprinkled with Suya *spice; pepper, groundnut powder, salt, and black pepper. They are bought on roadsides, wrapped in newspapers and enjoyed with *Zobo.* *

1. Nuts

The African Walnut is a black-shelled nut that is cracked open to reveal a pale, crunchy nut. Other nuts commonly enjoyed are pepperfruits, kolanuts, peanuts and cashew nut. These are hawked on trays and sold on the go. A handful of nuts to keep your mouth busy, your mind distracted and your body healthy, awesome eh?

1. Corn and coconut

In the south-west, roasted or boiled corn is usually accompanied with coconut. The corn, eaten off the cob, is soft and succulent. Its juices mix with the milk of the coconut to intrigue your taste buds. It is usually enjoyed as a snack though boiled corn can also be served up with a black-eyed beans stew.

This is in no way an exhaustive list of roadside foods found in these states and be encouraged to try out the different foods you see. A travel experience is not complete without imbibing and imitating some of the indigenous culture traits, sampling these cheap delicacies is one of the ways you can truly experience this colourful country. These foods are relatively cheap, going for N50-N500 depending on the size of your appetite, so don’t be afraid to indulge for you will find that you are most pleasantly surprised.