Great haste breaks the yam tuber.- Nigerian Proverb.
Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae) that form edible tubers.
Yams are starchy staples in the form of large tubers produced by annual and perennial vines grown in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, South Pacific with Nigeria being by far the world’s largest producer of yams, accounting for over 70–76 percent of the world production.
Like potatoes, yam is a healthy energy giving tuber that can be used to make all sorts of traditional and modern delicacies. Let’s take you on a food tour.
Here are a variety of ways to make a yam meal;
Yam balls:
This super sweet delicacy, yam balls, take the form of scotch eggs, but in this case, it’s got the fillings of spring rolls, samosa, and similar snacks.
To prepare yam balls, the yam is first boiled and blended to make a mash of it. The mash is further used to wrap any kind of fillings you want, like veggies, shredded beef and the likes and the coated with eggs before deep frying.
Here’s how you get it done.
Yamarita:
Yamarita is simply an egg coated yam. It combines the taste of fried yam and eggs, all in one bite.
Yamrita is made by dipping the sliced yams in seasoned whisked eggs before frying them.
Here’s how it gets done.
Smoky Yam and cheese:
To make baked yam and cheese, first, boil some slices of yam till it’s soft and in a separate pot, make a sauce with assorted meats and veggies.
In a baking pan, spread the sauce and then spread the cooked yam on the sauce and add grated cheese on it. Bake till the cheese melts. Serve and enjoy the incredible taste of this delicacy.
Here’s a tutorial on how to make the baked yam and cheese meal;
Yam porridge:
Yam porridge is more like jollof yam where cooking oil and other spices are used to make yam, unlike white yam that is just plain.
This video teaches you how to make yam porridge;
Boiled yam and egg sauce:
This the simplest yet most popular yam recipe to make. Boil yam then fry some eggs.
This video shows you how to make this meal.
Yam Pepper Soup:
This is the special yam spicy soup known as pepper soup in Nigeria that Igbo new mothers enjoy right after giving birth. People from the Eastern part of Nigeria claim that it helps clean up the uterus.
Here’s how to make this meal that gets you sweating.
Pounded yam:
There must be a note of warning that making this meal is not for beginners. It requires some level of energy. This is a traditional way of eating yam. Boil the yam until it is soft. Pound the yam using a mortar and a pestle till it becomes fluffy and compact.
You can serve with any native soup of your choice and enjoyed both individually and at gatherings.
Like many other foods, yam has got a lot of awesome ways you can enjoy it. So, why should anyone stick to one way, when there are several?
Explore more yam delicacies and share your experience with us in the comment section.