| Origin and Planting: | | | | creamy. (2.) Add the beaten eggs and continue beating |
| Water yam (D. Alata Linn) is one of the oldest food | | | | to get in the air. (3.) Sieve water yam and wheat flour |
| crops so far. It belongs to the family of | | | | and baking powder together. (4.) Add the flour and mix |
| Monocotyledonous plants. It originated in South-East | | | | with cold milk to a dropping consistency. Add vanilla |
| Asia in Burma. From there it spreads to India, Malaysia, | | | | essence. (5.) Put in greased patty tins and bake in a |
| Indonesia and Eastern part of South-East Asia. It | | | | moderate oven for 20 minutes. |
| served as food for voyagers and was thereby | | | | 2. Ojojo (Western African food):a. Ingredients: |
| spread to the parts of the tropics. Immigrants from | | | | (1.) 100gm grated water yam. (2.) 1 small onion (finely |
| India and Malaysia introduced it to Madagascar from | | | | chopped). (3.) Pepper (chopped). (4.) Salt and herbs to |
| where it was introduced into East Africa in the 16th | | | | taste. (5.) Oil for frying.b. Method: |
| Century. It was introduced to West African countries | | | | (1.) Chop onion and pepper finely. (2.) Beat the grated |
| by the Portuguese and Spanish. | | | | water yam and add a little water if too thick. (3.) Add |
| Today, water yam is the most widely distributed of all | | | | the prepared ingredients and salt. Beat together again. |
| the yams, being grown in all parts of the tropics. It is | | | | (4.) Fry in balls in deep fat. (5.) Drain and serve hot |
| the most extensively cultivated species of ya in the | | | | alone or with bread. |
| West Indies, the Pacific Islands and tropical Asia. It is | | | | 3. Ikokore (Nigerian food):a. Ingredients: |
| known as 'greater yam' or 'ten month' yam. It can be | | | | (1.) 100gm water yam. |
| found in some places in Nigeria. It is called (Ewura) in | | | | (2.) 30-50gm boned smoked fish. |
| Yoruba land, it is the main staple food in Ijebu area - | | | | (3.) 2 kitchen spoons palm oil. |
| Western Nigeria. | | | | (4.) Salt to taste. |
| Water yam is planted within the months of March - | | | | (5.) Shrimps as desired. |
| April which is the beginning of the rainy season ans | | | | (6) 1 tablespoon ground pepper. |
| also at the beginning of the dry season (October - | | | | (7.) 1 tablespoon onion. |
| November). Late planting yield poorly. It matures in 8 - | | | | (8.) 1 tablespoon tomato. |
| 10 months and keeps better in storage than other | | | | (9.) ½ teaspoon fermented melon seed.b. Method: |
| species because they remain dormant for several | | | | (1.) Peel and grate the water yam. |
| months. It grows best at temperature between 25oC | | | | (2.) Put water in the cooking pot and add prepared fish |
| and 30oC. it requires soil that is well drained, of high | | | | and ingredients. Allow mixture to boil for a few minutes. |
| fertility and high in organic matter; hence loamy soil is | | | | (3.) Add the grated water yam to the gravy in lumps |
| best. It grows in a shorter time than the white yam and | | | | and allow to cook first before stirring. |
| possesses a fibrous root system. Most of the roots | | | | (4.) Add the oil and salt, stirring gently with a wooden |
| occur in the top-soil, 30cm, above the soil level. | | | | spoon. |
| The tubers vary considerably in shape and size, | | | | (5.) Simmer gently. |
| depending on the soil and how deep the ground is | | | | (6.) Serve hot either on its own or with cold pap (eko) |
| when planting. They may occur singly or in groups, | | | | or agidi. |
| straight or branched. This yam contains a higher | | | | 4. Yam chips:a. Ingredients: |
| proportion of water than either the white or yellow | | | | (1.) 1 small water yam. (2.) Salt to taste. (3.) Fat (oil).b. |
| yam. Its loose or watery texture is readily noticeable | | | | Method: |
| when the tuber is cut or grated. The tuber may be | | | | (1.) Wash and peel yam. |
| purple, white, yellow, light brown or almost red in color | | | | (2.) Cut in half lengthwise; and slice thinly on a chopping |
| when peeled. The leaves are distinctively different | | | | board. |
| from others, being heart-shaped, long, broad and | | | | (3.) Soak in cold water. |
| winged at the petiode. The stems usually have no | | | | (4.) Drain in sieve and wrap in clean cloth for about 15 - |
| spines and they climb round the stakes in a | | | | 20 minutes separating the slices to prevent them from |
| counter-clockwise direction. | | | | matting. |
| Water yam can be eaten boiled, mashed, fried, or | | | | (5.) Fry in hot fat; until evenly golden-brown. |
| mixed with palm-oil or groundnut oil and steamed. Flour | | | | (6.) Remove, drain and pile on a hot dish sprinkle with |
| can also be made from it. Dishes such as 'Isikolo', | | | | salt and serve. |
| 'Ojojo', Pounded yam, 'Ikokore', pottage and fritters can | | | | 5. Water yam pottage:a. Ingredients: |
| be made from it. It can also be cooked with beans. | | | | (1.) 1 big water yam. |
| Dishes such as Queen Cakes, Biscuits and pastries | | | | (2.) 2 tablespoons ground red pepper. |
| can be prepared from water yam flour. | | | | (3.) 3 tablespoons ground onion. |
| Nutritional value of water yam: | | | | (4.) 1 tablespoon tomato puree. |
| Moisture = 70%, Starch = 28%, Sugar = 0.5%, Fat = | | | | (5.) Salt to taste. |
| 0.1% - 0.3%, Crude protein = 1.1% - 2.8%, Crude fibre = | | | | (6.) 6 tablespoons palm oil or groundnut oil. |
| 0.6 - 1.4%, Ash = 0.7% - 2.1%, Vitamin C (mg per 100g) | | | | (7.) 4 tablespoons ground shrimps. |
| = 5 - 8%, Vitamin B1 (mg per 100g) = 0.09%, Vitamin | | | | (8.) Cooked beef or 2 pieces smoked fish.b. Method: |
| B2 (mg per 100g) = 0.03% and Vitamin A. | | | | (1.) Peel the yam and cut into small pieces. |
| Five (5) Water Yam Dishes | | | | (2.) Rinse and put to boil. |
| 1. Water yam queen cakes:a. Ingredients: | | | | (3.) When it is half cooked, add salt, ground ingredients, |
| (1.) 100gm water yam flour. (2.) 100gm wheat flour. (3.) | | | | oil, meat or fish and simmer till cooked. |
| 175gm margarine. (4.) 174gm sugar. (5.) 1 tablespoon | | | | N.B.: If soft pottage is required, water can be added |
| baking powder. (6.) 2 eggs. (7.) 150ml milk.b. Method: | | | | and some of the yam can be mashed; if beef or fish is |
| (1.) Cream the margarine and sugar until soft, white and | | | | not added; serve with fish or beef stew. |