I bet many of you don't know the English name for that eggplant. Many of us in Nigeria call this vegetable 'Yalo', 'garden egg' or 'gowta' for the northerners. When I first learned of the real name, I was really impressed. I mean if someone asks you "Would you like to have some Scarlet Eggplant?" You would be curious. Since I learned and researched about it, I have made sure that a day does pass me without me eating this vegetable unless I couldn't get it in the market. They say eat your vegetables so you have to take medicine hehe.
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The origin of Scarlet eggplant is from West Africa and majorly Nigeria. It is a plant that is related to the tomato and egg plant species. Though we have different types of egg plants here in Nigeria, my favorite is this one, the Scarlet eggplant. Why is it so? The taste is mildly bitter, the aroma, the color and also the benefits, but for those white eggplants the taste is totally harsh for me and I dislike the fact that you have to eat it with peanut butter.
Some of the nutrition values of this. Scarlet eggplant are; they are an fantastic source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, protein, carbohydrate, vitamin B6, iron, flavonoids, magnesium and potassium also they could be used to cure dysentery, indigestion, bronchitis, diabetes and asthma. It can also be used for weight loss dieting, treatment of eye problems, protection of brain cells and has anti-cancer properties.
Dishes made with Scarlet Eggplants in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, we make a lot of eggplants to eat our meals like ugba, yam and eggplant stew, abacha and okporoko. So for the purpose of this post I will be sharing with you my mother's recipe for Scarlet eggplant stew which call Isuom Ekuku (Scarlet eggplant stew)
Ingredients
Scarlet Eggplants (the quantity you desire)
Onions
Fresh pepper
Garlic and ginger
Palm oil
Seasoning
Pomo(cow skin)
Prawns
Crayfish
Smoked fish
Beef or any kind of meat you desire
Locust beans
Poly bags (optional)
Procedure
First, you wash your eggplant with salt and water, then dice it into small sizes and put in the poly bag (optional). Add a pinch of salt to it for taste.
Boil your water for at least 10mins before adding your diced scarlet eggplants. Then boil for at least 10mins.
While your eggplant is cooking, quickly wash and dice your onions, fresh peppers and tomatoes. Prepare your prawns, cow skin, smoked fish and crayfish by washing them clean.
Remove your eggplants. Cut open the poly bag and put them in a strainer. Little water from the eggplant will sip out, but do not throw it away because it will be used for the stew later on.
Mash the eggplant with a fork.
After that, heat your palm oil in a pot or pan. Bleach it for 60 secs and add a little bit of onions to give it a good scent. Then pour in your diced ingredients and stir fry for 5 mins.
Add your washed cow skin (Pomo), prawns, crayfish, locust beans, and smoked fish. Allow them to cook for 2mins, then add the mashed scarlet eggplant. Stir properly and add the stock from the eggplant with your seasoning and other spices you desire.
Allow to cook for 5 min and then you turn off your heat. Your scarlet eggplant stew is ready.
This stew can be served with rice, yam, potatoes, swallow eba, pounded yam and fufu. I love this stew especially with rice and yam. Wondering where the name Isuom Ekuku came from? The answer is Southwest of the Yoruba land😎
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