Ukwa — Ogun State, Nigeria

Ukwa is a thick porridge made from the seeds of the African breadfruit tree, cooked slowly until they soften and partly break apart into a dense, satisfying dish. The seeds themselves have a mild, nutty character that carries the flavors of palm oil, pepper and fish added during cooking. It is associated with Igbo cooking in southeastern Nigeria and reported here from Ogun State, where the seeds are prepared in much the same long-simmered style. It is valued as a nourishing dish, rich in protein, and is often served on its own rather than alongside other starches. The dried seeds are soaked for several hours or overnight to soften them, then rinsed and boiled in water with a little dissolved potash, which helps break down their structure. As they simmer, more water is added as needed, and once the seeds begin to soften, palm oil, chopped onion, a stock cube, chopped pepper and smoked fish or dried shrimp are stirred in. The pot continues to simmer until the porridge thickens and the seeds are fully tender. The seasoning shifts from one cook to another: some use dried shrimp instead of smoked fish, others add a handful of leafy greens toward the end, and the amount of pepper is adjusted to taste. The cooking time also varies with how long the seeds were soaked beforehand, drier or harder batches needing a longer simmer to reach the same soft, thick result.