Nigeria's food is a journey of bold flavors and rich traditions. Join Bibi Raii as she tastes Nigeria's most tantalizing snacks.
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00:00What do black-eyed peas have in common with donuts and fish and chips?
00:05Well, these three are on my list today, but Lagos-style.
00:09Come with me to take a look, or rather a bite, of the three most popular snacks in Nigeria.
00:16Nigeria is celebrated for its rich tapestry of cultures and cuisines, from spicy jollof rice to savory suya.
00:25Today, we check out what other Nigerian foods reflect this vibrant taste and history.
00:31I'll be starting off at one of my favorite places, right here in the heart of Lasgeri, Bole and Fish Lagos.
00:38I'm going to be having some Bole, which is grilled plantain with fish.
00:42Now, these two lethal combination. It's pretty much the Nigerian equivalent to, I guess, fish and chips.
00:48Extremely popular all around the country, particularly in the south of the country and Port-a-Cotes.
00:54Let's have some.
00:55We are grilling fish.
00:57We make use of croaker, tilapia, catfish, and cote fish.
01:00Okay, so you can either pick croaker, tilapia, catfish, and what was the last one?
01:05Cote.
01:06Cote fish, okay.
01:07That is mackerel.
01:08Mackerel, oh, why didn't you just say mackerel? Okay.
01:11How long do you normally grill your fish for?
01:14About 45 minutes more.
01:1645 minutes?
01:17Yeah.
01:18That's how long it takes fish to get ready?
01:19To get it dry and tasty and yummy.
01:21Okay, I feel you. So what kind of fish is this one?
01:23This is coca fish.
01:24Okay.
01:25Yeah.
01:26Bole and fish is interwoven with the culinary traditions of the southern region of Nigeria.
01:32Here in Lagos, it is often sold by street vendors and enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
01:39But what makes this bole so popular and yet different from other Nigerian dishes?
01:46The sauce. So you need to talk to me about your secret sauce.
01:51Here we have this for the spicy of the fish.
01:55Okay.
01:56Once the fish gets dry, the first step we take here is just to get the fish dry on the grill.
02:01Then you apply the sauce.
02:03When it's dry, that gives it the best taste.
02:05Okay.
02:06And it's spicy.
02:07How it's spicy, we use maggi.
02:10Some tomato.
02:14As a certified Yoruba babe, for me, when it comes to bole and fish, the secret is all in the sauce.
02:24I love the spiciness of the sauce and it just really adds something to it.
02:28But without a shadow of a doubt, this smoky, spicy combination is sure to leave a lasting impression.
02:33After the imitation of fish and chips, it's on to the real black-eyed peas, whose fame stretches all the way to Brazil.
02:42No, not the band.
02:43Although maybe they like it too.
02:45In any case, the next dish is a bean dish.
02:49As a Yoruba babe, I'm very excited to be sharing this one with you guys.
02:53Moi Moi.
02:54Now, Moi Moi is a bean dish traditionally steamed in a special leaf that they call Ewe Ero.
03:00I'm going to be meeting Chef Victoria, who's going to walk us through how it's made.
03:04Okay, so the thing is, Moi Moi is steamed and boiled beans, usually prepared with fresh pepper, onions, tomatoes sometimes,
03:16which is not really mandatory, as well as spices and every other thing you need to ask.
03:20Moi Moi was brought to Brazil by African slaves during the colonial period, impacting Brazilian cuisine significantly.
03:29Also known as Alele or Olele.
03:31This protein-rich dish originated with the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
03:37What are some of the traditional ways that we can serve up some delicious Moi Moi?
03:41Yeah, okay, so we've got cassava flake, otherwise known as gari in Naija.
03:49Cassava flake.
03:50Otherwise known as gari in Naija.
03:52We soak gari in Nigeria.
03:54I feel like that's the best.
03:55I feel like that's the best.
03:56If you're not having soaked gari and Moi Moi, you will not get that traditional feeling, you know.
04:04So, traditionally, that's how we serve.
04:07But then you could use other things.
04:09You could use like pav, there's custard.
04:11These are the real black-eyed peas.
04:13Now, in Brazil, they modified the recipe.
04:15Depending on what they had available, the slaves would either use black beans, kidney beans, or even white beans.
04:21As well as that, they'd also add their own local ingredients, such as palm oil, onions, and peppers too.
04:27Did I forget to mention that they wrap their own version of Moi Moi in banana leaves?
04:32Well, I'm going to have mine plain, Jane, because that's how I like it.
04:35Chef Victoria, thank you.
04:40While Moi Moi has spread all around the world, let's try another Nigerian culinary invention that's lesser known, but better than American donut.
04:48When it comes to Pof Pof, she is the queen of Pof Pof.
04:52I try.
04:53Honestly, you do more than try.
04:55You do more than try.
04:56Pof Pof are made from sweet flour and molded into balls, which are deep fried.
05:02It is so simple that it's not unusual to find roadside food vendors all over Nigeria making these snacks at every time of the day.
05:11So, as the queen of Pof Pof, you need to tell me about the origins.
05:15For cultural significance, I would say that Pof Pof has evolved.
05:19I mean, when I was growing up, Mama Cass was the place to get Pof Pof.
05:23You had those people with the boxes, the glass boxes.
05:26Now, every party needs Pof Pof.
05:30Absolutely.
05:31If not, it's not your party.
05:33When it comes to Nigerian Pof Pof, what are some of the pitfalls that we should avoid, or some of the things that we should avoid doing to make bad Pof Pof?
05:41Bad Pof Pof is when, first of all, your Pof Pof is flat.
05:45If your Pof Pof also doesn't rise properly, like if it's not warm enough, you know, the environment that you're allowing it to prove, then it's an issue.
05:53So, those are some little, little things that happen with Pof Pof that go wrong.
05:56Okay.
05:57So, I guess the last thing for me to answer is how do you eat Pof Pof?
06:03I know you may be thinking, oh, maybe I'm just going to attack it with my knife and fork, maybe a spoon.
06:08No.
06:09No need for all of that extra stuff.
06:11All you need are, see this?
06:13Your five best friends right here.
06:15Let's cheers.
06:16Let's cheers.
06:17Pof Pof greatness.
06:18Cheers.
06:19Pof Pof greatness.
06:20My queen of Pof Pof over here.
06:22And there you have it.
06:23A delicious journey from peas to plantains to Pof Pof.
06:26Three of Nigeria's most loved foods, rich in history and heritage.
06:31And did I forget to mention, when you're on this neck of the woods, fish and chips, donuts, forget about it.
06:38Try the real thing.
06:40Bon Appetit.