How Can I Improvise?

Good Day Aunty Eya, please post this for me. Thanks.
 Hi WC readers, please help a sister out.


I am a new wife, hubby recently started his Residency Program in d States, n we relocated not long ago.
Problem is, the city we live in(Louisville KY)  doesn’t have shops where one can get African foodstuffs, so we stuck with

Oyinbo mende mendes

No palm oil, no raw yam, no plantain, no ego, no crayfish, etc.
I’m having difficulty cos we new in d area. Please can u guys give me suggestions as to how I can improvise.
Like how one can convert their foodstuffs to make dishes close to our own food at least.
Thanks in anticipation of your help.

21 thoughts on “How Can I Improvise?”

  1. U r in the US so its easy, there should be African mkts around U where U can get palm oil n co, also check on google if U dnt hv friends or relatives in the states U can call.
    Some ppl also get relatives to dry ukazi, onugbu, uziza, egusi (room dry), pomo, achi, crayfish, ogbono. These things can be mailed to U using EMS or normal Nipost.
    Goodluck, african mkts are available around U, spinach is good enuf substitute. U can get okra in grocery shops.
    I v met ppl whi cook soup without palmoil. Ddnt taste bad. Twas okra soup. I cook a lot of nsala, look for whole black pepper for flavoring.
    Most imptantly look for African women ard ur area.

    Reply
  2. When I was in the UK I used groundnut oil, spinach and smoked mackerel to make Efo Riro. It wasn't as good at the real thing but it worked till I found an Indian store that stocked every thing! Even Iru! Kale is also a very good vegetable to use its very similar in texture to ugwu and the smoked mackerel is very similar to smoked fish from home. Ground rice and wheat flour can be used as substitute for swallows.

    All in all look around I know tons of people in the states that eat everyday Nigerian meals you just need to get familiar and find a store close to you. If its anything like the UK your best bet at finding Nigerian food is from the Indians and Jamaicans! Weird.

    Reply
  3. Google African or Carribean Stores in the area. They must b one a few miles away. Even in d next city. But at least u can still make jollof rice. Stew n okoro. Food lion has Okoro.

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  4. you can check out the hispanic stores, they have stuff you can use. sometimes food lion has plantain as well.

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  5. There should be an african store in Louisville. Till you find it use kale and spinach as sub for ugu and green. Use Irish potatoes as sub for yam. Shrimp will give same taste as crayfish but fresh. Use small veg oil for soups. It works. If you blend oatmeal you can make it like semo. Welcome to US and all the best with your marriage and settling in.

    Reply
  6. I'm there are shop you can buy Naija food stuff from but you have not found them yet.
    Use spring greens or spinach (fresh or frozen)to make ur vegetable soup,smoked mackerel or kippers fish for vegetable soup, u can use potatoes for porridge, use aubergine to eat potatoes, use mash potatoe powder for poundo, frozen chopped okro, buy beef, chicken and some assorted meat from butchers to cook red stew with rice. All these food u can get from supermarkets.

    Ask pple to send you these items from home: dry iru, dry pepper, crayfish, egusi, ogbono, garri, seasoning cubes, dry bitterleaf, dry uziza, dry scent leaf, dru utazi. All these are allowed into d Uk when coming in but I don't know about d US. Dry fish n palm oil is a no no.

    Reply
  7. 4010 Bardstown Rd Louisville, KY 40218‎. Phone- (502) 876-6769. "African Market Millenium." I wonder what form of google you use. This is America. Shine your H-eyes.

    Reply
  8. U can order palm oil on to buy,Walmart has plantain,beans raw okra. You can also buy spinach and collards green to use as vegetable soup. If you don't mind the taste of wheat fufu,you can buy wheat flour and use for your swallow. You can get raw pepper from publix plus hen which is stronger than the soft ones everywhere . Hope this helps a bit

    Reply
  9. Ace, how old are you? You think no one can make mistakes? How about the countless times you've gbagauned on blogs?
    Please take several seats

    Reply

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