Africa is a continent where cooking is portrayed to be a
highly specialized area of expertise which was (and still is) well handled by
mothers and grandmothers. Growing up in a typical African (Nigerian) household,
“African food” is all I know (and by “know”, I mean can compete for). Talk
about meals like “Pounded Yam and Egusi soup with all sorts of proteins,”
“Amala and Ewedu plus Gbegiri” that will make you sleep off at the dinner
table.
“Afang Soup with unshelled periwinkle” that will make you wink at your
enemy in a friendly manner. “Ekpang Kwuko” that will make you conclude ‘Igbo
people are not that bad o’. “Miyan Taushe” that will make you tell the world
Boko Haram is just a political propaganda. “Tuwo Masara” that will make you
want to go ‘#BringBackOurGirls’, to mention but a few.
I recently discovered the wonderful world of Indian Cuisine
and in a more African way. This discovery happened at Cumberland Hotel
Victoria Island, Lagos Nigeria. It’s an Indian-Nigerian Hotel and Restaurant
(because the owner is Indian but has acculturated into the Nigerian Culture).
The hotel cum restaurant has 66 rooms for lodging as well as a 24-hour
restaurant who’s smell of its food will blow you away as it did me. I took 171
pictures of 3 room categories, 1 nightclub, 1 restaurant, 1 hotel building and
1 supermarket.
The host of the hotel offered me and my team a taste of
their cuisine right there in the restaurant, but we declined and asked for a
take-out because we were on official assignment.
The food was a full blown 4-course meal that consisted of
Chicken Biryani, Chilli Paneer, Mutton Sheekh Kabab in Sauce and Tandoori Roti.
Anyway, I got home with the food, opened it to fully scrutinize what was
packed. I took the first tip spoon taste’ of the Chicken Biryani; second,
Mutton Sheekh Kebab; third, Tandoori Roti and finally, Chilli Paneer and the
taste was so mind-blowing. I still have some in the office freezer.
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