My Native Pantry

Achicha or Echicha, over to you igbo tribe

The best description in English for this native food home to Igbo tribe in Nigeria, particularly Enugu people is dried cocoyam flakes.

How is Achicha/ Echicha made?

Cocoyam is harvested, cooked, peeled, cut into bits and then dried under the sun. Don’t be carried away, the process is not as easy as it is written. Processing dried cocoyam flakes, is a labour of love. Cooking take hours and sun drying can take days.

After it is dried, you can then grind it into granules and store for your use. On the day you are to cook into a dish as seen below -measure the quantity needed, wash and steam (for a short time, avoid making it soggy, you will regret it).
Last is to stir fry in pepper, onion, green vegetable, and oil bean.

This meal is best eaten when you crave for it, it’s not a meal for every other day.

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