Oto- mboro a popular Nigerian meal owned by the southern part of Nigeria is a meal prepared as porridge or dumpling-like dish, often referred to as a "cooking banana" or "plantain" dish. In some regions (Akwa ibom state to be precise), it is specifically called "Oto Mboro" when made with unripe bananas.
While making this, i incorporated two different species of banana to prepare this. One popularly known as "adia akpon okporo" and the other which is the normal type of banana.
INGREDIENT USED
For my ingredients I went to the market earlier to purchase them while i got the veggies from my little garden. Below are the ingredients needed to prepare this👇
i) Unripe banana (mboro)
ii) Red oil
iii) Onions
iv) Fresh peppers (scotch bonnet)
v) Bonga fish
vi) Lobsters (dried ones)
vii) Crayfish
viii) Seasoning cubes and salt
ix) Vegetable (curry leaves)
x) Mfi (shelled periwinkle)
METHOD OF PREPARATION
I started off by getting my unripe banana ready, after which i proceeded to wash them (this was done to remove dirts, sand, stone on the skin of the banana prior to when i will peel it.
After washing my banana skin, i started peeling them. Once done, i rewashed it again to be sure it is very clean and devoid of any sand. Next step will be to grate it.
After washing my banana for the second time, i worked on grating it.
After i was done grating it i began prepping my ingredients by throughly washing my shelled periwinkle. Deboned my bonga fish and later proceeded to grinding my pepper and crayfish while also deshelling my Lobsters.
Here i was done prepping my ingredients and about to start the cooking process. Preparing this dish is often a strenous task and as seen i was exhausted already because it took me hours to get things ready.
After all was set, i set up the fire and began cooking. For meals as this i prefer cooking using firewood (it makes cooking easier and more faster)
I poured a reasonable amount of water on my cooking pot. Once it had boiled, i added all the ingredients i had earlier prepared (grinded pepper and crayfish, dried lobsters, bonga fish, shelled periwinkle, seasoning cubes and salt to taste) i love crayfish so much hence i added it sparingly considering a greater amount of it.
I proceeded to taste it and was sure everything is in right proportion. With my broth water boiling hot, i went ahead to cut the banana into it as dumplings (this was achieved by molding it by hands into small balls while dropping them into the boiling broth.
After i was done doing this, i left it to boil and sizzle for few mins. Opened it and then stirred it gently to incorporate while blending all ingredients together.
At this point, i can be sure to readd seasonings if the taste doesnt come out well.
I left it to cook further and then poured a good quantity of red oil into it (the red oil changes the colour, taste and aroma of the meal)
Finally set to add my freshly sliced leaves. Added it to my meal with the curry leaves adding its own aroma to the food as well.
I bring down my food from the fire as it is ready already 😊
I now plate my òto-mboro as i set to enjoy it.
Thank you very much for those who have taken their time to read my post this time, I hope this post is insightful while also adding it to your list of new found recipes.
I really hope to see you all on my next post while i strive to bring up more interesting and educating recipes our way.
Your comments and reblogs will go a long way and encourage me to do more better.
All these photos are taken by @mamarii210 herself, using a Samsung Galaxy A04 phone.
