Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Western Africa: Chapter 8, Indigenous foods of South Eastern part of Nigeria

This chapter explored the different oilseeds, vegetables, legumes, and other miscellaneous recipes unique to the southeastern part of Nigeria, as well as the processing methods employed in preparing major indigenous foods, often prepared with the use of oilseeds, vegetables, and legumes. The oilseeds are used in the preparation of a variety of soups such as ofe akwu (banga soup) or condiments such as ogiri, while the legumes are often prepared using processes such as roasting, boiling, pressure cooking, and fermentation into condiments or flavourings such as ogiri and ukpaka (ugba), used for preparation of other delicacies. Traditional fermentation methods are often employed in the processing of these flavourings in an uncontrolled manner. Vegetables, on the other hand, are often consumed in the form of soups or incorporated with other raw materials to produce desired foods.