HOW TO MAKE NKWOBI FROM GOAT MEAT OR COW MEAT

Nkwobi is a local meal in the Igbo tribe in the Eastern parts of Nigeria. It is considered an evening meal, so it’s the perfect meal to enjoy on the evening of a festive holiday. Nkwobi is served in local restaurants, accompanied by any drink. You can prepare it with palm oil, goat or Cow meat (cow foot or cow tail), and a special leaf called Utazi (Scent Leaves). Nkwobi is a traditional, rich and delicious meal. You can serve it in Local calabash or a little mortar. Making Nkwobi with Goat Meat or Cow meat is pretty simple when the right steps are taken.

INGREDIENTS

• 2kg cow foot or tail / Goat meat (cut into sizeable pieces)
• 20cl Palm Oil
• 1 teaspoon ground Ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg)
• 1 tablespoon powdered edible potash (Akanwu)
• 2 habanero peppers 
• 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
• Onions
• Stock cubes
• Utazi leaves
• Salt 

MAKING YOUR NKWOBI

• Parboil your Meat in a pot. Garnish it with half a spoonful teaspoon of salt, 3 Stock cubes, and 1 medium-sized onion. Cover up your pot and let your meat cook for about 35 minutes.
•  Pour a tablespoon of powdered Potash into a bowl, add 4 tablespoons of water, and stir well. Sieve the mixture using a closely tight perforated sieve. The Potash is what helps the palm oil to thicken. However, this is optional if you are still looking for it in your local market.
•  Put a dry pot on the fire and pour your palm oil. Pour the sieved Potash into the pot, then stir until it turns yellow.
•  Put in your crayfish, grind pepper and ehu seeds (Calabash Nutmeg). For a unique flavour, grind your crayfish and pepper together. However, ehu is an ingredient that might be difficult to find outside Nigeria, and if you cannot get it, then do not bother about it. It only gives your soup a unique and traditional scent).
•  Pour your cow meat or goat meat with stock into the pot of oil and stir well to avoid burning. 
•  Add in another diced medium onion and your Utazi leaves (This gives it a bitter flavor, so 5-10 leaves are enough, the alternative to these leaves is Spinach)
•  Let it cook for another 10 minutes, and do well to stir consistently.

Your food is ready, and you can serve it in a wooden calabash or utensil. You can eat Nkwobi with Yam, white rice, or alone. It all depends on your choice. However, you can also try other local Nigerian delicacies, like Ogbono soup, Banga soup, Bitterleaf soup, Edikang Ikong Soup, Nsala Soup (Ofe Nsala), Afang Soup, Efo Riro, Pounded yam, and Semo.