My favorite Nigeria foods Pounded Yam and Egusi with Fish

Today my house girl cook my favorite foods Pounded Yam and Egusi with Fish, I love so much very testy.

Yam is part of major food in Nigeria is just like rice for Taiwanese, there have many type way to cook yam like: boiling, fried… but I like Pounded Yam.

                                 First you need boiling the yam until become soft

                     then punch it then add some water then become like a ball.

                                 This is tool we need for punch the Yam

Unforgettable Chinese New Year in Kano

Chinese new year for is very important for Taiwanese so me and other co-workers will come from other city to join have dinner in most big Chinese restaurant in Kano. But unfortunately two days ago they Boko Haram (Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society) more information check here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram

Had attacks Kano 5 police station, immigration and passport office, almost over 200 people dies for this bombing attacks .so we have cancel the party for the security reason.

I am only one in Kano so I invite my stuffs who live in the company join dinner with me, then I will not be only one here, so I ask my house girl cooking Nigeria foods then I cook two dish, because most of market is not open because the seriously attacks so I don’t have too much choose, so I cook Fish and broccoli.

Most of my stuffs is first time try Chinese foods, I trying teach them how to eat,

fortunately they like it so we had nice Chinese new year party in this difficult moment.

                                Happy Chinese New Year for every one!!

Fish Market in Kano

I grew up in Taiwan, so I can get very nice sea foods all the time, since I stay in Kano every day I miss the fresh sea foods. One day ask my driver where can I get fresh sea foods, he told me there have Fish Market in Kano.

So last week we went to the fish market well you can’t expecting too much in Africa so when I arrive the Market I was a little bit upset but I still looking around,

 there almost no nice fish, finally I pick up the better one, the fish man ask how many do I want buy?

 I told him I am only one stay here so I would like get 2 fish , first he give 1,000 Naira( 6.25 dollar)

then I cut price for 700 Naira(4.3 dollar).

I cook two different type steam fish

This is Thai steam fish

                                                            This is Taiwanese steam fish
                                                              So Yummi !!!!

Finding myself in the Kitchen

Well due to my work I'm really busy and have almost no time to rest, well actually, my work  and non-work life is mixed together: I work and live in the company, I got house girl who cleans, washs and cooks for me if I need, but until now I still cook by myself first my house girl can’t cook Chinese or other foods, she only can cook Nigerian’s food I did like local foods but only once a week.

Cooking make me feel I still I have life here because after work I can rest a little bit and starting prepared my foods whatever I like sometimes I cook Chinese, Taiwanese ,Italian …. Any foods I could cook here.

One day I really miss the tradition Taiwanese fried chicken so I looking for the spices in the Chinese supermarket well the test is not really same is Not perfect, but enough to satisfy my feelings of homesickness.

Other day I trying cooking pasta actually I like Pasta very much but Tomato sauce always is my favorite, but first time I try isn’t really good I think is because Tomato here, so this time I trying add more tomato paste then is better then last time, tomato sauce pasta always good with sea

foods.

One day I cook a lot beef soup well I can very proud say a lot of my friends has test this soup every one say super!!

Well I usually cooking a big quantity because this beef soup at least need take 4 hours to boil so I will keep them in the fridge then later I can mix with rice or noodles.

Well what do you want eat for today???

Enjoy your meal !!

bon appétit

Kano is peacful city in Nigeria

Most of experience in Nigeria people will tell you don’t show out your money and be careful about Robber but here seems to more peaceful then Lagos, for example my egg supplier first time he request came to my office take his payment at 7pm, immediate I ask him: sir do you think is safe for you come to take your money after 5pm? He told me no problem here is not like Lagos, I use to doing the business like this.

Then one day I went to market pay the Flour payment to the suppiler, when I enter his shop I saw like over 10 buyer waiting outside to pay the money,

so he ask me going in side the a small simple and look unsafe room to count the money, when I first enter I couldn’t believe I saw there have million money on the floor waiting for casher count, suddenly one things just come out my mind why they are not scare about Robber?? then I realize Kano is more peaceful then other city in Nigeria.

Meet a Local Pharmacist Kano Market

Due to my work I must go the Market to purchase or checking the material prices etc..

I find Kano very interest compare in Lagos , in Lagos you can see a lot of woman doing business or buying goods there but here most of time I am only woman, especially a foreigner woman.

Last week i went to  purchase drink in the market I met  Local Pharmacist he sell drugs, because he couldn’t speak any English so my driver translate for me: this old Local Pharmacist he is 60 years old, he learn make drugs from his father since when he was 20 years old, and his family do this business over 200 years ago.

 He will selling the drugs in the city for like two months then he will go back Bush to find Herbals and mix together become a drugs, my driver told me this drugs is for Malaria and typhoid for killing the body pain. I don’t know this will work for the pain or not but this old man have been selling his drugs over 40 years and every day people buy from him, maybe is working for the them????  I will updeat if i have try his druges:)

Sandstrom in Kano

Kano is very close to Sahara desert the Sandstorm arriving every year from December to February .

Today the sky are Gray because of Sandstorm!!

Even I have to cover my face to protect my eyes

 this is Kano sky without Sandstrom

First strike day in Kano Nigeria

Nigeria government has been cancel the oil subsidy since 1 Jan 2012 so the petrol price increase from＄0.4 (liter) to＄0.86(liter) , most Nigeria’s live on less then ＄2 per day so the sharp price increases have hit them hard.

The government said will use the subsidy money on help poor people, education and Construction of basic public transport or healthy service and so so on.. but nobody believe it.

Since during the last week the unions have been request reduce the petrol price but until now the government still didn’t get feedback so the unions have deiced Strike from 9 Jan 2012

Today is first day of the strike and protest, I got up by 7 am since I already see so many protests past from my office, everybody are angry about the petrol prices increases, people take trees on the hand showing they are support the strike and angry with government.

But from 13:00 I saw so many people run to other way

then I hear the gun shot and saw the smoking from the sky.. then continued until 3 pm then my stuffs tell me the police killed over 20 people who are trying enter and fire government house.

Even some angry Nigerians are Burning Tires in front our shop.

because the out of control situation so the government suddenly announced curfew m to 8 am

I just hope the situation will change as soon as possible