Potato curry

Ingredients

2 tablespoonfuls of vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 teaspoonfuls of curry powder
1 ½ teaspoonfuls of paprika
1 teaspoonful of cayenne
2 teaspoonfuls of cumin powder
½ teaspoon of allspice
2 teaspoonfuls of fresh ginger, minced
½ teaspoon of black pepper
2 pounds potato peeled and cubed
15 oz chickpeas
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoonful of lemon juice
14 oz diced tomatoes
14 oz coconut milk (415 mL), 1 can
Rice, cooked, for serving
Naan bread, for serving
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Preparation

-Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until simmering.

-Add the onion and saute for about three minutes, until translucent.

-Add the garlic and saute for about two minutes, until fragrant.

-Add the curry powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, allspice, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant.

-Add the potatoes and mix well until well-coated in spices.

-Add the chickpeas and stir to incorporate.

-Add the broth, lemon juice, and tomatoes and stir, then pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine.

-Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

-Serve with cooked rice and naan and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Source:tasty.co/recipe

Health benefits of potatoes

Potatoes are a versatile root vegetable and a staple food in many households.

They are an underground tuber that grows on the roots of the plant.

Potatoes are relatively cheap, easy to grow and packed with a variety of nutrients.

-Potatoes contain antioxidants

-Potatoes can be satiating

-Potatoes contain Glycoalkaloids

-Regulates blood pressure

Helps calm you down

Improve brain health

Source: food.ndtv.com

Benefits of velvet tamarind

Velvet Tamarid

VELVET tamarind (dialium guineense) commonly known as ‘icheku’ in igbo, ‘awin’ in yoruba and ‘tsamiyar- kurm’ in hausa, and ‘Yooyi’ in Ghana.

-High Antioxidant Power: The fruit is a good source of vitamin C and its consumption can contribute to satisfying the journal requirement that is 90 to 110 mg.

-Treats Scurvy and Infections: The fruit pulp has high ascorbic acid content vitamin hence used as a food supplement. The high vitamin C content boosts the immune system and helps the body against infections.

-Healing Wounds: The velvet fruit pulp has interesting content in calcium and magnesium. Calcium participates in ossification, to the muscular contraction, and to the blood clotting.

-Repairs blood vessel and fights Anemia: The velvet tamarind fruit pulp is rich in iron. It is indispensable for iron absorption; cloves repair and blood vessel formation via collagen synthesis. The pulp’s iron absorption is more efficient because of the presence of vitamin C.

-Prevention of Hypertension: The values obtained for sodium and potassium of the velvet tamarind fruit pulp were respectively Preliminary studies indicate that short-term potassium depletion also elevates bloodpressure in hypertensive patients. Potassium supplementation lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients ingesting normal amounts of sodium.

-Reliefs Menstrual Cramp and stops Diarrhoea: The stem bark extract has significant analgesic property hence, can be used to reduce menstrual pain. You can take it along with papaya leaf, salt, and water to work effectively. It can also stop diarrhea.

-Hemorrhoids (pile): Piles are swollen veins in the anal canal caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas and while not life-threatening, these veins can be very painful. A study performed on ethanolic leaves extract of velvet tamarind showed it to be beneficial for pile treatment.

Source: eprojectlibrary.com

Nutrition

Pinkaso

Pinkaso is a savory snack made from flour, onions, and pepper.

It is usually paired with Hausa koko (millet porridge) but can be equally enjoyed with any other breakfast cereal or beverage of choice.

Ingredients

-100 grams of all-purpose flour

-1 tablespoonful of salt

-2 grams of dry active yeast

-2 grams of baking soda

-10 grams of chopped onion

-5 grams of fresh pepper

-One bottle of 5 litres oil

Preparation

-Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix and wash under running water

– Blend or grind the onion and pepper

-Add the blended mixture to the flour

-Pour flour in a big bowl and add yeast, salt and baking soda

-Mix into a dough and knead to activate the gluten in the dough

-When the gluten has activated, the dough will look stretchy

– Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in a warm place for the dough to rise

-Deep fry by heating the oil until very hot, then reduce heat to medium

-Fry on medium heat. To take portions of the dough, dip your hands in water, and take a small ball of the dough

-Using your thumb and middle finger, create a hole in the ball of dough and gently drop in the oil and fry on medium heat until golden brown and crunchy

-Remove the pinkaso and place it on kitchen towels to absorb some of the oil. Serve pinkaso with your favourite beverage