DIY Recipes: How to make the perfect traditional Ebunuebunu

Ebunubunu is basically a Light Soup base mixed with smoothly blended Nkontonmire (cocoyam leaves) which naturally gives it that green colour.

Ingredients

2 Bunches of Nkontonmire

Dry River fish (Faan loo)

4 large tomatoes

2 medium-sized onions

Chilli pepper aka Kpakposhito (as much as you desire)

4 Giant African Snails

Goat meat

1 Tablespoonful of Lemon Juice

Salt

1 Maggi cube

Method

Blend together tomatoes, onions and pepper. Set aside

Spice up the goat meat with ginger and onions; preferably the night before.

Boil the snails in the shell. Pry them from the shell. The Giant African Snails are very slimy delicious creatures. But the slime can get icky. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over them and work it through with your hand for about 2 minutes. Wash under cold water and pour the lemon juice over it. The stickiness is much reduced and the flesh almost feels dry.

Wash the river fish, which tends to have grains of sand stuck inside its gills and abdomen.

Wash the leaves under running water and peel the leaves from the veiny stem. Boil for less than 10 minutes. Blend very smoothly, and set aside.

Place a deep saucepan on the stove and add the goat meat. Steam the meat well as you know how tough our Billy and Nanny goats are.

Add the snails. Pour the blended tomato mix into the steaming meats and stir for about 2 minutes and pour a generous amount of water into the pan. Well until the meat is covered and is halfway in the pan. Some choose to sieve the tomatoes but that’s nutritious chaff being thrown away.

Add the dry river fish so it cooks with the soup and take it out for later. This I find helps prevent the fish from dismantling. Boil for about 20 minutes. Add 1 cube of Maggi for spicing.

The light soup should be about ready. Pour in the blended Nkontonmire. Top up with more water.

Add salt to taste. Allow another 5-10 minutes for final cooking time.

Serve with fufu, rice or any carbohydrate food of your choice.