Nigerian Isi Ewu Recipe: Goat Head Cooked in Spicy Sauce

September 16, 2021 Odiraa

Nigerian Isi Ewu Recipe: Goat Head Cooked in Spicy Sauce

Goat Head Food: Cooked Goat Head ~ How to Cook a Goat Head

Nigerian Isi Ewu, also known as goat head, is a traditional Igbo delicacy prepared from the head of a goat.

It is easily mistaken for the meal Nkwobi since the ingredients are similar.

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What is Nkwobi made of? Nigerian Isi Ewu

Nkwobi is a Nigerian delicacy that is typically ordered and consumed in high-end restaurants. It’s just cooked cow foot blended with a spicy palm oil paste.

Nkwobi is frequently confused with Isi-Ewu, however, the two are not the same.

What is the Difference Between Nkwobi and Isi Ewu?

The method of cooking Isiewu is so close to that of Nkwobi that many people have difficulty distinguishing between the two meals.

However, one big difference is that Nkwobi is prepared with cow foot whereas Isi Ewu which simply means goat head, is prepared using the head of a goat

The use of the fatty brain of the goat makes Isi Ewu more delicious. A celebration is incomplete with the absence of IsiEwu pepper soup, which is unique to South-eastern Nigeria.

Is it safe to eat Isi Ewu while pregnant? Nigerian Isi Ewu

Potash is extremely dangerous during pregnancy, and pregnant women should avoid eating potash-containing foods (akanwu).

This is because potash can cause abortion, resulting in miscarriage and pregnancy loss.

Yes, isi ewu OR nkwobi can be made without the addition of potash or Kaun. Potash-free nkwobi and isi ewu are safe to consume throughout pregnancy.

The Health Benefits of Isi Ewu Delicacy ~ Nigerian Isi Ewu

Despite being fatty, utazi leaves are said to counteract the intoxicating aspects of alcohol as well as its damaging effects on the liver.

The goat head is a high-protein source.
Palm oil is rich in vitamins, which are beneficial to your eyes.

Recipe for Isi Ewu ~ How to make Nigerian Isi Ewu

This goat head soup is also called mannish water and is a delicacy in Jamaican and Caribbean cuisines.

It is traditionally cooked outside over a wood fire. … These goathead parts are carefully washed before they’re roasted over a fire.

The Nigerian Isi Ewu Recipe is a bit different

Isi Ewu Ingredients

1 Goat head
2 teaspoons of Ehuru (calabash nutmeg)
Sliced Utazi leaves
1 cup of palm oil
A teaspoon of edible potash (akaun)
Crayfish (optional)
Grounded uziza seed
Dry chili pepper
2 onions
3 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste

Before You Make the Isi Ewu (Goat Head)

Firstly, allow the butcher to cut the goat head into large pieces while leaving the brain, ears, tongue, and eyeballs intact.
Secondly, pour hot water on the tongue and cheeks and rinse the meat thoroughly with an iron sponge. Then use a knife to scrape off the hardtop skin, particularly on the tongue.
There will be remnants of soot from burning the goat’s fur; make sure all these are thoroughly wiped.
Then, scrub the insides of the ears thoroughly and gently rinse the entire brain.
After that, place the powdered potash into a bowl. Add a little bit of water and stir well. Pass it through a fine sieve and set the liquid aside.
Now, Cut the two onions into four large slices.
Half of the utazi should be thinly sliced. Cut the remaining half into little pieces.
The first will be served as a garnish, and the second will be included in the palm oil mixture.
Finally, crack and remove the outer shell of the ehu before grinding with a blender mill or mound in a portal.

How to Prepare Isi Ewu (Goat Head) ~ Nigerian Isi Ewu

Firstly, wrap the brain in tinfoil and put it in the pot with the other meat. Then, add in the water, salt, seasoning cubes, and dry chili pepper.
Cook the meat until it is tender.
Secondly, prepare the goat head with the onion slices, seasoning cubes, and add as little water as possible.
While the meat is cooking, cut the onion into tiny circles for garnishing.
After that, remove the onion slices. Once the meat is done, take out the brain and mash it up until smooth, and remove any bone pieces.
Then, add salt and keep stirring, until all of the water has been absorbed.
Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside to cool.
Meanwhile, pour palm oil into a pot and pour the little sieved potash mixture into the oil.
As you pour the potash, stir with a wooden spatula. You’ll observe the palm oil curdling and turning yellow. Continue to stir until all of the oil has gone yellow.
Then, add the pepper, mashed brain, ehu seeds, and utazi chopped into tiny pieces. Stir everything together thoroughly until it’s all combined.
In addition to that, place the goat head to the palm oil paste and stir thoroughly with a wooden spatula.
Then, return the Isi Ewu to the stove and heat until it is scorching hot.
To sum up, serve in a bowl with onion rings, scotch bonnet, and utazi on top.