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Ose oji
Ose oji: Igbo peanut and pepper paste for kola nuts and garden eggs
In Igbo homes from Enugu to Owerri a guest is welcomed with kola nut, and the kola is never served alone: beside it sits a saucer of ose oji, peanut butter mashed with ground dried pepper and a little salt, sometimes with uda or ginger. Elders break the kola, pray, and everyone dips. It is equally good with crunchy garden eggs (small white African aubergines) or cucumber. Contains peanut. Kola nut is a strong caffeine stimulant, so it is for adults only, not for children or pregnant women; serve the garden eggs to everyone else. The mistake is making the paste runny with water: it should be thick enough to cling to a slice without dripping, so loosen with oil instead. Chef's tip: toast the dried pepper in a dry pan for 30 seconds before grinding; the smoky heat is what makes ose oji taste right.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz smooth peanut butterunsweetened; contains peanut
- 1 ½ tsp dried scotch bonnet or chilli flakesground
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground uda (grains of Selim) (optional)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp groundnut oilas needed
- 6 African eggplant (garden eggs)quartered, or cucumber
- 2 kola nuts (optional)for adults only
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Toast 1 ½ tsp dried scotch bonnet or chilli flakes in a dry pan for 30 seconds until it smells smoky, then tip into a mortar and pound to a powder.
1 minStep 2: Mix 5 ½ oz smooth peanut butter with the pepper, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground uda (grains of Selim) and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl, loosening with 1 tbsp groundnut oil until it is a thick, spoonable paste.
3 minStep 3: Taste and add more pepper if you like it hot. Spoon into a small dish.
Step 4: Wash and quarter 6 African eggplant (garden eggs) and arrange them around the dish, with 2 kola nuts broken into lobes for the adults.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ose oji take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of smooth peanut butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of ground ginger?
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger per ¼ tsp ground.
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