Cow Skin Nkwobi
Go on a culinary adventure with this creamy, spicy, African palm oil sauce, mixed in cooked and very tender cow’s skin and native West African spices.
What is Nkwobi?
Nkwobi is a popular side dish which originated from the eastern region of Nigeria. It is very popular with the Igbo tribe in Nigeria but has gained a lot of popularity throughout the country, and even in some neighboring Western African countries. Nkwobi is simply tender cow leg, in spicy, creamy palm oil sauce. It is traditionally served in a wooden bowl with Nigerian palm wine or any cold drink.
Nkwobi is a staple in almost any restaurant, bar, or big Nigerian parties and can be easily made at home. This dish can be made in different variations using cow’s skin, (native name – ponmo), cow head, goat meat, or chicken. One of the most important ingredients in this recipe is ehuru, also called calabash nutmeg. Ehuru releases an authentic native flavor to this dish and therefor, cannot be left out in the process of making this recipe. All the ingredients can be sourced from any African grocery store close to you.
Nkwobi
Ingredients
- 1 cup palm oil (red oil)
- 2 tsp bouillion
- 2 tsbp akanwu (potash)
- 1.5 lbs cow's skin
- 1 medium purple onion
- 1 tbsp crayfish ground
- 2 small habanero peppers red
- 4 leaves Utazi
- 1 tbsp ehuru ground
Instructions
- Wash the cow skin with water and a little salt, cut into piece, transfer to a pot. Season with bouillon and salt, add enough water to cover the content and cook till cow's skin is very tender. Drain the broth and set aside separately.
- Prep the other ingredients. Dice the onions round rings or your desired shape and set aside. Chop the peppers and utazi leaves and set aside separately.
- Transfer the akanwu to a small bowl, add water, mix together and leave to stand till the akanwu settles at the bottom of the bowl. Carefully drain the water from the akanwu and set aside.
- In a flat surface pan, add the red palm oil, add the water from the akanwu and combine. Mix till the oil changes from a red color to a bright yellow color, with a thick creamy consistency. Add the ground ehuru.
- Add the remaining seasoning and spices – the crayfish, ugba, peppers, chopped onions bouillion and a little broth / meat stock.
- Stir to combine them together. Now add the cooked cow skin pieces and some salt and mix together. Transfer pan to burner or stove and cook on low heat for 1 min. Take the pan off the burner.
- To serve, scoop desired quantity into a bowl and granish with onions and utazi leaves.