Isi Ewu Head With Chilled Red Grape Juice. In case you are tired of your husband and friends visiting that isi ewu joint
every saturday evening, set them up with this, and scatter their plans.
I have not seen a Nigerian man who can resist Isi ewu. R
ight from
the North, to the southern Parts, Eastern Nigeria where this dish originated from,
and even Southeren Nigeria, they all enjoy Isi ewu and find it irresistible.
For the palm wine drinkers, there is nothing they enjoy like Isi ewu with
a keg or mug of palm wine. For your Father In-law, just win him over to
your camp with Irresistible Isi-ewu.
Funny enough, after I tasted this delicacy, I officially joined the men and
automatically became a great fan of Isi-ewu. To make matters worse,
a goat head is the cheapest part of it’s whole body.
This goat head I prepared for my family was bought for just #500.
If you buy more than one head, it gets even cheaper.
Bigger heads are a bit expensive though.
I do not know if it’s the aroma of the spices or just the crunchy biscuit bones in
a goat head that make isi ewu irresistible.
Don’t you think that, if he can get Isi-ewu at home on week ends, he may not bother
visiting that Isi ewu joint?
Ingredients for my isi ewu
- 1 goat head ( I had bought mine and kept in the freezer ahead of weekend. It is difficult to get them on weekends because restaurant owners clear everything).
- Spices ( Sorry about not knowing the names, that’s why I put the pictures)
- Brain ( wrapped in a separate bag)
- 2 yellow pepper
- utazi
- potash/ akanwu (optional)
- 2 cubes knorr or maggi seasoning cubes
- 1 small sized onion
- salt to taste
- 1 table spoon palm oil
- water
the brain cooks in 12 minutes and is ready for pounding |
My Cooking Procedure for Isi-ewu
- The washed meat is put in a pot with salt, ground pepper. chopped onion, one seasoning cube and some water. Allowed to boil for 12 to 15 minutes before bringing out the cooked and hardened brain for pounding.
- The roast and skinned African nut megs are pounded before adding the brain, palm oil and a cube of maggi. Pound till smooth before adding to the boiling pot, stirr.
- Pound the melon type ingredient too and add, stirr, check for salt, seasoning and water/thickness and allow to simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes before adding the utazi vegetable. stir, leave for just a minute or two and turn off the heat.
- Serve with some chilled wine.
Enjoy lunch or dinner with isi ewu and chilled red grape juice or your sweet wine or even red wine |
NOTE: Isi ewu cooks very fast once the ingredients are ready. It is best enjoyed with fingers, i.e. if you can do without cutlery. I did not add potash to this dish.
This is not the season for utazi and red pepper. They are almost out of stock, however, you can replace them with hot leaf and red pepper. You will still get that unique, great taste of Isi ewu.
looolz aunty Ojay u won't put me in trouble
Dis dish reminds me of last xmas and ma favourite joint in d villa Ama azaraza. d dish is best enjoyed with bare hands. I can prepare it very very well.
~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310
Bonario, I mthink that you are very good in the kitchen. After your 1+1=1, please don't stop and abandon the kitchen. Just keep it up o.
I ate mine with my bare hand too, and licked my fingers very well. No cutlery needed.
Chei eya! I officially love u……omg! I miss naija:( Bomsy
Eya,d isÍ ewu luks nice bt I prefer mine thick,so Iuse potash to mix d sauce togeda wit a local spice called 'ehuru' den little groundeÐ crayfish! Will make mine and send d pics,I add little ugba too
Ah ya ya. This is how to make a person's day
We are waiting for the pics please o. Me, I can't wait to try your recipe, it sounds interesting!
Love you too Bomsy! Don't worry,one day na one day!
You know now!
I love your blog, i cooked spaggetti with shredded chicken sauce for my sister today and she's already pleading for same meal tomorrow. Humm kudos to youu
Thanks for trying out my recipe!
God bless u aunty ojay n grant u all ur heart desires. I v bin lukin for d recipe for dis for ages! I spend 1500 naira evry two weeks to buy d already prepared one at resturants. God bless u again n again.
Infact don't know what to say!
But I think God spoke to u for mi,cos I was just wishing in my heart u knew d recipe for ISi ewu and post it here one day…and suddenly 'Voila!!
For those spices,do I just ask dose igbo women selling food tings for isiewu spices?cos I don't tink I can point dem all on my own!
I know you said akaun is optional, but I will like to add it to mine, can you please tell me what point to add it? Also, I don't have a motar yet, can I use my grinder to crush the nuts/spices? And can I use that thing I use to mash potatoes to mash the brain? Will I get the same result as a motar?
No my luv,u won't get d same result. D seed is too strong for ur blender, it might spoil it.
Lovely……
hi, please where will i get the goat brain?
The butchers will bring it out of the butchered head. Insist that they wrap it separately.
Thanks Anon 5:35,You can add the akaun together with the pounded brain. You need a small mortar to pound, the brain and palm oil cannot be mashed like potatoes.
Yes, ask the market women. They know all the spices!
Amen! Thank you Rutty.
ok thanks.
Thanks for this, Eya. Will try this out after my akara flat episode. The burnt spices are called "Leete and Ehuru". Dont know abt the thickener, but will find out.
Hahahahaa, You are just hilarious.
Leete and Ehuru, OK, now we know their names. Thanks Luchi!
Thanks a lot, I'll get a motar soon then I will surely try my hands on Isi ewu special
Thanks for the recipe, you are really doing a great job, God bless you.
The spice is called ehuru seed. Really enjoying our delicacies
I call this steps to making husbands stay at home! Delicious. I ve always loved it, but never made it until now that you ve taught it in this class! Cheers!
Aunty eya pls afang & okazi re dey d same type of leaves#tnx in anticipation of ur reply#
Yes! they are one and the SAME.
Hahahaha, thank you Debby.
Thank you Sarah!
Thanks Ify!
Aunty Eya,its called Ehuru seeds!!
Aunty Eya, God bless you. I hope i get the preparation right, My Oga must stay at home…..enough of all those nights at *****'s joint.
Yipeeee
My mouth is watering….havent eaten isi ewu since I was a kid. Good thing I have the recipe now
Better to use utazi leaf than ukazi. it gives it that bitter sweet taste.
im 4rm d north abu zaria 2 b precise just dis morning my husband told abt isiewu dat he ate it at a restaurant in abj i neva knew i cld get it so easily 4 dat UR A DARLIN
Dear Aunty Eya good job wt d recipie, now I know to pound d brain properly cos I usually just boil it wt d rest and smash everytn together but it somes out lumpy eventually, bt pounding will make it a smooth paste. Secondly, d potash or Akanwu shld be put in abt 2 cooking spoons of water and when it dissolves a bit, small amounts of d water is added to d palm oil before adding it to d brain mix wt d other spices. I love ur blog! Cooking is my passion.
Thank you Chinwe, we share the same passion. Well done.
@ Um Ammar, thank you! I wish you successful cooking of the isi ewu for him o.
Aunty Eya I'm about to try ur recipe now wld snd u pictures….wish me luck…lol!
hahaha, Ms Bhookey, I wish you luck o!
EYA I WILL ALWAYS LOVE U. KAI, U DONT KW D JOY IN MY HRT RITE NW. THESE ARE THINGS I NEVA TOT I COULD MAKE. THANX A LOT. WILL TRY ALL THESE OUT VERY SOON. pls feel free to advertise ur blog on oda blogs naw so that women will learn d art of keeping their men at home.
****Mufasa Said