MEET OUR LOCAL CUISINE THAT HAS GONE INTERNATIONAL; OKPA DI OKU.

Okpa is a popular legume prepared by removing the outer covering of the Babara seed and grounding to flour from which the thick solid food forms out of the flour during cooking. Water, oil and other condiments are added to make it look like the popular moimoi. This food delicacy is actually common among the Igbos of Eastern Nigerian. It is good source of protein which I cherish a lot. To those of you from eastern Nigerian who love eating Okpa usually hawked in the early hours of the morning in Lagos and other parts of the country. Here is good news for you.

Okpa has numerous health benefits. Here are a few nutrients found in Okpa.
The Milk:
Its seed is said to consist of:
49%-63.5% carbohydrate,
15%-25% protein,
4.5%-7.4% fat,
5.2%-6.4% fiber,
3.2%-4.4% ash and 2% mineral compared to whole fresh cow milk of:
88% moisture,
4.8% carbohydrate,
3.2% proteins,
3.4% fat, 0.7% ash,
and 0.01% cholesterol. Its chemical composition is comparable to that of soy bean. Furthermore, BGN has been reported to be a potential crop, owing to its nutritional composition, functional properties, antioxidant potential, and a drought resistant crop.
Bambara groundnut milk (BGNM) had been rated higher in acceptability than milk from other legumes like soybean and cowpea. Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amount confer a health benefit on the host. These benefits have been reportedto be a potential crop, owing to its nutritional composition, functional properties, antioxidant potential, and a drought resistant crop.
Bambara groundnut milk (BGNM) had been rated higher in acceptability than milk from other legumes like soybean and cowpea. Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amount confer a health benefit on the host. These benefits have been reported to be therapeutic, suppressing the growth and activity in conditions like infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. The nutritional profile of BGNM is high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics. BGNs are normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a snack. Hence, Babara nut milk can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious . These benefits have been reported to be therapeutic, suppressing the growth and activity in conditions like infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. The nutritional profile of nut milk is high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics. BGNs are normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a snack. Hence, BGNM can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious legume but also help in addressing
malnutrition.

INGREDIENTS FOR OKPA
(Okpa flour)

• 500grams Okpa flour ( Bambara nut flour )
• 50ml Palm oil(more or less)
• 2 tablespoonful Ground Crayfish( optional )
• 2 Stock cubes (crushed)
• 1 small onion( minced or chopped into tiny bits)
• Ground chili Pepper ( to taste )
• Salt( to taste )
• Warm water ( as needed )
• Container (could be bowls, Aluminium Foil Bags, Banana Leaves , Uma Leaves
  (Thaumatococcus Daniellii) or heat proof nylons)

Tip: the bambara nut flour is usually made industrially by grinding the nuts(with the skin on). But if you want to make the paste, simply soak the nuts, peel the skin and grind until smooth.

PREPARATION

• Pour the okpa flour into a bowl, add the palm oil and mix thoroughly, until the flour changes from white to orange or yellow.
  
  

• Next, add the warm water and mix thoroughly until there is no lump, but it shouldn't be too watery.

• Add the ground crayfish,stock cubes, onions, pepper and salt to taste.Mix thoroughly.

• Pour the mixture into your container of choice and place in a pot of boiling water(just as you do with Moi Moi ). Leave to boil for 45 minutes.
  You might need to add some water to the pot as the water dries up.

• The Okpa should be ready after 45 minutes.But if you're not sure, let it boil for 1hr.
  Leave to cool a bit. Serve and enjoy!

HEALTH BENEFITS OF OKPA
Okpa is not only cheap and easy to make, it also has a lot of health benefits. Here are some of them:

1: It is an Anti-Arthritis- Due to the high content of minerals in this nut, it is a natural remedy to safeguard the body from Arthritis.

2: It Boosts the Blood- These nuts are rich in iron. Iron helps to boosts the blood level and aids the treatment of Anaemia. No need to waste your money anymore in buying blood tonic, daily consumption of this delicacy would go a long way.

3: Treatment of Insomnia- They are natural sources of remedy for lack of sleep. This is because of the content of Amino acid that stimulates the release of serotonin from the brain thereby bringing a mental calmness which aids Sleep.

4: Okpa Reduces the Danger of stomach cancer- It has the ability to produce a carcinogenic substance that helps in lowering the risk of stomach cancer.

5: It Fights Kwashiorkor- It plays an important role in providing nourishment for many children in the rural areas.

6: It Maintains healthy bones- Okpa is not just rich in protein but also in calcium which aids in the growth of strong bones in both adults and Children. It helps in generating Collagen which is very important for connective tissue formation such as tendon, skin cartilage and Bones.

7: It Lowers cholesterol- Do you have high cholesterol and you don’t know how to lower it?Search no more, Okpa is very rich in Lysine which is an essential element that helps in the proper and manufacturing of‘Carintine’ which is a nutrient accountable for breaking down fatty acids to provide energy to the body thus lowers cholesterol.

8: It is highly therapeutic- Okpa is reported to be therapeutic, suppressing the growth of probiotics.It suppresses the growth some activities like Diarrhea, Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
The nutritional profile of Okpa is strong and high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics

OTHERS WAYS OKPA CAN BE CONSUMED

1: Okpa can be boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted and eaten as a snack.

2: It can be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic beverage.

3: It can be made into the paste and cooked as ‘moimoi’.
Sometimes, you do not need to add much to it just your pepper, onion and salt and Viola! You will have you a healthy meal.
Whenever you visit Enugu don’t forget to try out Okpa. I hope with this you can try it out on your own without visiting my area.

Tell me about your local cuisine in the comments box. Don't forget to upvote and resteem. Enjoy your day!!!

*SOURCES
http://richters.com
http://irocafrica.com
http://nigerianfoodtv.com
http://connectnigeria.com
http://gracefoundation.org.ng