Banku, hot pepper and fried eggs

• Banku with fried egg 2

Ingredients

Cassava dough
Corn dough
Pepper
2 large onion
3 large tomatoe
Green pepper
Eggs
Cooking oil

Method

Wash pepper, tomatoes, onions and grind in an earthernware bowl (asanka). Add salt to taste.
Crack eggs in a bowl.
Add chopped tomatoes, onions, green pepper, carrots, salt .
Whisk and fry
Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and spray with some oil.
Pour egg mixture and turn over when the sides begin to brown.
Put another saucepan on fire for the banku, add water and salt, cover to boil.
Mix corn and cassava dough in a bowl and stir gently until it starts to thicken
As it progresses, it will start to gather at the bottom of the spoon and will need more and more force to stir it. Do this for about 5 minutes resting intermittently.
Add water and use the wooden spoon to make a few holes in the mass. (Increase the fire and cover).
Turn it a few times during this process as the mixture boils. When the water is almost finished, turn down the heat and start kneading the banku again.
Use a small bowl to shape the banku into your preferred serving sizes.
Serve the banku with pepper and fried eggs

Benefits of chocolate

Antioxidants

Dark chocolate contains several compounds that possesses antioxidant properties, such as flavanols and polyphenols. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals and prevent oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress refers to the damage that excessive amounts of free radicals can inflict on cells and tissues in the body.

Oxidative stress contributes to the natural aging process. Over time, the effects of oxidative stress may also contribute to the development of a variety of diseases.

Heart disease risk

Regularly eating dark chocolate helps reduce a person’s likelihood of developing heart disease. Some of the compounds in dark chocolate, specifically flavanols, affect two major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Blood pressure

The flavanols in dark chocolate stimulate nitric oxide production in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to dilate, or widen, which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure.

Cholesterol

Dark chocolate also contains certain compounds, such as polyphenols and theobromine that may lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the body and increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Doctors often refer to LDL cholesterol as “bad cholesterol” and HDL cholesterol as “good cholesterol.

Anti-inflammatory effects

Inflammation is part of the body’s natural immune response to germs and other harmful substances. However, chronic inflammation can damage cells and tissues and may increase the risk of some health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and certain types of cancer.

Dark chocolate contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance occurs when the body’s cells stop responding to the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance can cause abnormally high levels of blood glucose, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Brain function

Eating dark chocolate may improve brain function and help prevent neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

The findings of a small 2018 study Trusted Source suggest that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself, particularly in response to injury and disease.