Adalu Epo (Corn and beans delicacy)

Adalu Epo is a proudly Nigerian delicacy that tells the Nigerian culinary story to a global audience. It is a blend of beans and corn mixture.

The blend of the edible beans can range from honey beans to white and the corn can be fresh, yellow or white, depending on what you can lay our hands on.

The protein and carb as well as oil enriched delicacy runs through Ogun, Oyo and other Southwestern States of Nigeria.

But today, Adalu is now considered a unity delight, that can be found across restaurants and hotels and even a continental and intercontinental delicacy.

This delicacy consist of palm oil and other fat enriched nutrients as well as protein enriched smoked, dry or fresh fish and fibre – full maize, together with a mix of crayfish or shrimp and other local ingredients that help to make the proudly Nigerian food a particular meal that brings pleasure.

In relishing this sumptuous beans and corn porridge, it is important to note that cutting down on fried food will help us live a healthy life. We don’t necessarily have to fry the palm oil for the beans delicacy, rather, the best way to cook this meal is to pour the oil over the boiling pot, as it is better to eat healthy and live well.

Adalu is usually prepared with either fresh or old corn and the meal is best enjoyed when the maize used is very tender, with enough palm oil fresh or smoked fish and crayfish.

Adalu Epo as a meal that can best be eaten as lunch, it can also be used to entertain a first-time visitor but it may not be too ideal for dinner because it takes time to digest. Let’s get to the kitchen.

Recipe for 4 servings:

3 cups fresh corn [white or yellow]

3 cups beans [honey or white]

1 large smoked fish (cleaned)

1 onion (chopped)

1 small bunch of scent leaf [shredded]

5 fresh peppers (crushed)

1 cooking spoon palm oil

Salt and seasoning to taste

4 tablespoons ground crayfish or

1 cup fresh shrimp [cleaned]

Method:

• Wash and bring the corn to boil in slightly salted water.

• When half cooked and a bit pulpy, add the washed beans.

• Cook until both are very tender.

• Add the chopped onion, pepper, salt, fish, shrimps, and crayfish as well as other ingredients.

• Do not stir.

• Just add the palm oil and cover the pot.

• Allow it to cook until the oil changes colour and circulates around the food while the colour of the oil changes from red to orange colour.

• Uncover the pot, use a wooden spoon to stir the food thoroughly.

• Taste for salt and add more water if the meal is too thick.

• Add the washed and shredded vegetables

• Stir and simmer for 60 seconds and serve hot on a cool day.

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