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Achicha a.k.a Echicha is a traditional dish from the Igbo region in Nigeria. The delicacy is prepared with pigeon peas, Cocoyams, palm oil, and traditional spices. When perfectly spiced, the dish is tasty and vibrant. Though the dish is traditionally eaten during the dry seasons when vegetables are not available, you can enjoy your Achicha Ede any time of the year.

As you spend most of your time at home these days, get a moment to experiment cooking different foods including this amazing delicacy.

Before we get down to our Achicha Ede recipe, let’s have a quick look at the Igbo culture.

Igbo Culture

Igboland is a home of over 30 million people who are further divided into 12 subgroups. These groups include Ogba, Ezaa, Ika, Ngwa,Ohuhu, Ogba, Ekpeye, Edda Egbebu, Anioma, Ibeku, Ikwere, and Abiriba. This has brought about cultural diversity, which has been influenced by trade, migration, its rainforest climate, the social history of its clans, and its people.

The cuisine experienced here is majorly influenced by history and the environment. There are specific dishes that are culturally popular to the Igbo people such as Achicha Ede. 

Cassavas and yams are also popular with the Igbo people, and they make a substantial part of their cuisine.

Igbo culture expects men to be bold and furious, while women are expected to be gentle and motherly. Women take part in all the cooking and household chores while men provide as the head the family.

According to Igbo’s tradition, women are expected to serve their husbands’ food (dinner in this case) before 6:00 PM. Any meal presented past this time may be rejected by the man, and he can go ahead and report the case to the clan. The wife is then given a strict warning not to delay his food again in the future. Her warning may or may not come with fines which she must pay with a white rooster (Cock) and served to the man to enjoy alone.

[bctt tweet=” According to Igbo culture, women are expected to serve their husbands food before 6:00 pm in the evening. Serving food later than this time can lead to strict warning and a fine of white cork which is prepared for the husband to enjoy alone”]

Now let’s switch to our Achicha Ede recipe.

Ingredients

Chopped Ugu (pumpkin leaves)

Palm oil

2 cups of Achicha Ede

3 red onions (chopped)

Salt

¼ Ugba

3 Habanero peppers

Fio Fio (boiled Pigeon pea)

Guide

  1. Wash and rinse your Achicha and soak it overnight
  2. Rinse your Achicha and crush them. Cover them with banana leaves, Uma leaves or aluminum foil
  3. Cook it for half an hour
  4. In another cooking pan, sauté your onions for 2 to 3 minutes
  5. Remove your Achicha Ede and set it aside
  6. Add pepper and Ugba to your fried onions and stir them for two minutes
  7. Add your Ugu and cook for four minutes
  8. Add your Achicha Ede, salt, and Fio Fio. Stir for two minutes
  9. Turn the heat and simmer for two minutes then enjoy while hot

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