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Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ (WATER YAM PORRIDGE)

Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ known as water yam porridge is a special delicacy prepared mainly with water yam loved by people from Ijebu. Ekiti people don't joke with pounded yam also, Ijebu people don't joke with Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ because it is their favorite dish. I hope the Ijebus can assert this? An Ijebu man is a lover of Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ so if you are in a relationship with an Ijebu guy, my sister, you must know (not negotiable) or learn how to prepare this special meal. This is because it's definitely going to be one of the criteria to show that you can keep the marriage.

Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ is a special dish of the Ijebu people of Nigeria and it's really an amazing dish. Guess what! Something extra, extra special about this meal is that it can be served on its own or eaten with cold Eba (garri). It is basically a savory yam porridge but unlike the classic yam porridge we all know, ikokore or ifokore is made with another specie of yam called "water yam". If we know this yam, it's very hairy and when cut, the surface is very slimy. The water yam is grated and cooked in a very rich and sumptuous pepper mixed with fishy stock till it cooks and forms lumps.

To prepare this delicious delicacy, you need;

Water yam (known as ewura in Yoruba)
Eja kika - Smoked fish
Eja Sawa - Another specie of smoked fish
Iru- Locust beans
Tatashe- Red bell pepper
Ata rodo- Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
Beef Stock
Palm oil
Crayfish
Salt
Seasoning cubes- knorr chicken cube preferred

PREPARATION

Blend the tatashe, rodo and onion into a smooth paste. Boil it after blending so it can thicken. While it boils....Cut the water yam and peel it. Don't bother cutting the water yam the way you cut regular yam unless you will waste it. Instead, stand the yam up and gently peel the skin off with downward strokes then cut the peeled yam into thick irregular shaped chunks that will make it easier to grate.
Grate the yam with the side of the grater.

Water yam has the tendency to cause an itchy reaction if it touches any part of your body including the hands you use in peeling it. I actually don't know why but just be careful when grating so it won't touch the rest of your body. If it does, rub palm oil in the area affected to stop the itch.

Grate all the water yam and keep aside. It discolors after grating (turns brown) don't worry, it's the nature of the yam and it doesn't affect the taste one bit.

Get your different smoked fish (Eja kika and Eja Sawa), wash with warm water to get rid of sand particles, tear into small sized pieces.
Get the Iru (locust bean). Wash it and blend it.
Get a pot, leave it on fire to dry up, add Palm oil and leave for a while. Add the blended pepper and onion, fry till it thickens and bubble dots form on the surface.

Add a big serving spoon of beef stock, the blended locust beans, add all the pieces of smoked fish (depending on how much grated water yam you have) and bring to boil. Make sure it boils properly like you are making stew. Add little salt to taste.

Use a sieve spoon to take out the stock fish you added to the stew so as to prevent burning and sinking of the fish at the bottom of the pot after you add the grated yam.
While waiting for the pepper stock, season the grated water yam with a little salt. Remember that salt has been added to the pepper stock. You adding salt to the water yam to balance the taste.
With the water yam in the right state, add it to the pepper stock gently in very big lumps/ balls. Lower the heat while doing that.

You need to add it in big lumps so that some will dissolve into the stock forming a creamy consistency while others will form semi solid balls called ifokore.

After 10 minutes, stir carefully with a wooden spoon not a metal cooking spoon please so as not to break apart the lumpy bits. When you can see that the lumpy bits have thickened and the rest of the stock is creamy, you can now add the fish that was removed earlier back to the pot and stir carefully. Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground crayfish and stir carefully again. Leave to cook for 2 mins and then taste for salt to know if you may need to add little more.

Also, some prefer adding chicken and gizzard for it to be more spicy and well nourished. You can add this when adding the stock fish meanwhile remember to remove them to avoid burning and sinking at the bottom of the pot.

Wow! Lumpy, delicious Ìkọ́kọrẹ́ is ready. Trust me, you can't resist the taste. It can be eaten as a meal like yam porridge also can be served with cold Eba.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF Ìkọ́kọrẹ́

• Helps in regulation of blood sugar which serves as benefits to diabetic patients
• Lowers the effect on blood cholesterol levels * Helps to balance female hormones and regulation of menses.
• The antioxidants in the water yam helps to reduce the damage of free radicals in the body and slows down the effect of aging.
• Consists of anti inflammatory properties which helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases
• Decreases blood pressure levels
• Contains a lot of minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and copper. Also, it contains vitamins C and E.

Ijebu people, Ewesoooooo!!!

thank you

Appreciation to @gbenga for the badge