I was still basking in the highs from the Nigerian PepperSoup I made last week, when I walked into Jelmoli FoodMarket on Thursday and encountered a super pleasant surprise. I squealed in delight as my eyes beheld the long forgotten vegetable that was staring me in the face. Mind you, I squealed so loudly that the store assistant jumped in surprise. When he was sufficiently recovered a few seconds later, he walked over to ask if I was alright.
I was alright…I was just staring at a basket-full of Cocoyams in the heart of Zürich and I couldn’t believe my luck. Now, if you haven’t been to the FoodMarket at Jelmoli, it is certainly worth a visit when in Zürich. It boasts of delicacies from all around the world, and I have to add that the quality and freshness of the food is top notch! Living in Europe, your best bet in finding “ethnic” food would usually involve taking a trip to an “ethnic food store” but Jelmoli is changing that. The vast array of “exotic” foods in the FoodMarket is orgasmic for a tropical health-nut foodie like me. But don’t just take my word for it. You should see it for yourself.
Cocoyams, also known as Taro Roots are is a traditional staple root crop in many developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The German name is Taro Würzel, and you can also find it listed as Eddos. In West and Central Africa, Cocoyam is usually cultivated by subsistence farmers who are mainly women from low-income groups and so Cocoyams (Taro Roots) are considered a “poor man’s crop”, or a “woman’s crop”.
According to the RTB, these benefits, along with the wide adaptability of the crop and its role in the economy and livelihood of millions of rural poor, have been under-estimated, under-reported, and unfortunately, those who depend heavily on the crop for survival in Africa – those who happen to be the most vulnerable group neither have the resources nor the voice to influence the future of the crop.
Laters,
Emem
- 400 g cocoyam
- 400 g chicken breast diced
- 1 spring onion medium and chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 scotch bonnet de-seeded
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground garlic
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 10 g fresh thyme
- 4 tbsp soy sauce reduced sodium
- 300 ml water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Step 1 - Marinate the chicken Mix all the marinate ingredients in a bowl. Add the mix to the chicken, rubbing it in with your fingers to ensure the chicken is completely covered with the dry rub. Cover with clignfilm and set aside for up to 30 minutes in refrigerator before cooking.
- Step 2 - Prepare the Cocoyams Peel the Cocoyams and remove any black spots or discolouration on the flesh. Rinse Cocoyams (they will feel slimy when rinsed), and then chop into chunky cubes. Place the cubed Cocoyams in a pot and add enough water to cover the Cocoyams. Add salt to taste. Bring to boil over medium to high heat, and then reduce heat to medium and let cook until soft. For chunky cubes such as in the picture above, the Cocoyams should be soft in 15 - 20 minutes. Take off the heat, drain and set aside.
- Step 3 - Prepare the Teriyaki Sauce While Cocoyams are boiling, combine all the ingredients for the Teriyaki sauce in a pan and heat on medium to high setting. When the mixture reaches a simmer, bring the heat down to low and allow to reduce for 10 minutes. Take off heat and allow to cool. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Step 4 - Bring it all together Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to a pan and heat. When hot, add the marinated chicken and fry for about 2 -3 minutes per side. Repeat on other side until chicken is browned all over. Add the boiled Cocoyams to the pan and fry for 2 - 4 minutes. Try to avoid stirring or turning the cocoyams too frequently while frying as they do tend to get mushy and may crumble into a mash. Add the sauce to the pan, and the chopped spring onions.
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