What is the difference between Nigerian soup stew stock and sauce?
We’ve had a similar question asked on the blog but that was kind of general not specific to Nigerian cuisine. Today, we are answering the question with focus on Nigeria and not how other people of the world call them.
We all know that Nigerian food is very different from international cuisines across the globe. Our dishes are different. When Nigerians travel out, many times what we miss most is the Nigerian food experience.
The way we name our dishes in Nigeria is quite different and we are not apologetic. The way we refuse to name akara bean cakes is the way we refuse to give English or Latin or french names to Nigerian dishes.
Now, aside Nigerian pepper soup that stands alone on it’s own. In Nigeria we dont say ” soup” because it’s watery. No. We call our soups and stews or sauces based on what they are served with.
That is how we understand Nigerian food.
THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NIGERIAN SOUPS STEWS SAUCES AND STOCK:
- Like I said earlier, we name Nigerian stews and soups depending on what they are served with. Once I hear stew in Nigeria, we know that’s going to be served with white rice. When one says she’s cooking any Nigerian soup, you need no one to tell.you that it’s going to be served with fufu swallows. Same way I say sauce when the meal is going to be served with boiled yam or plantain.
- For Nigerian pepper soup. It’s cooked watery with much pepper. Nigerian pepper soup can be fish, assorted meats, or any meats pepper soup cooked watery with Local Nigerian pepper soup spices and very spices. The main ingredient in Pepper soup is always pepper. It cannot be skipped.
Aside Pepper soup that looks actually like what other cultures refer to as soup, the rest are different and peculiar to Nigerian cuisine.
WHAT IS NIGERIAN STEW?
- In Nigeria, we have many types of stews like the tomatoes stew, vegetable stews, egusi stews, Carrot stew, Ugu leaf stew and many more. One thing these dishes have in common is that they are served with boiled rice and not swallows. We automatically know it’s a stew when it’s going with some rice.
WHAT IS NIGERIAN SOUP?
All Nigerian soups are served with fufu swallows like eba, amala? Pounded yam and other Nigerian swallows that don’t require chewing. When I as what are you doing in the kitchen and you say you are making a Nigerian soup. I don’t need to ask what it is going with because every Nigerian knows that we serve soup with swallow. Nigerian soups range from vegetables soups, white soup, egusi soups, ogbono soups, afang soup, edikaikong, native soups like banga, oha, black soup and so many more.
SAUCE IN NIGERIA
Nigerian sauces are served with boiled or fried or even grilled carbs like yam, plantain, potatoes etc. We have egg sauce served with yam or plantain. Garden egg sauce also served with yams, plantain, etc.
In Nigeria sha, we have a few sauces made for rice like the shredded chicken sauce, shredded beef sauce, ofada sauce and shredded meat gravy.
Can you name other Nigerian sauces served with boiled yam or.plantain in your area?
HOW TO GET MEAT STOCK IN NIGERIA
Beef, chicken or fish stock is the base of most Nigerian cooking. We make stock for stew different from.stock for soups.
To make Nigerian stock, we basically boil the meat, chicken or fish first with just seasoning cubes or salt and onion before adding to stew or soup. The liquid from these boiled meats is the stock used in Nigerian cooking. While curry and thyme, garlic and ginger are added to stock made for Nigerian stews, they are not added to stocks made for cooking Nigerian soups so that’s the basic difference.
For you, what is the difference between Nigerian soup stew sauce and stock
Can you think of any other Nigerian food that’s named differently from the rest of the world? Leave us a comment below with the name.
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