Snail and green plantain pottage recipe courtesy of The Nigerian Cookbook by Miriam Isoun and H.O. Antonio

Ijaw: osi fiai

Whole snails and large pieces of boiled unripe plantain in a simple pottage, thickened with the plantain and colorful with oil.

Ingredients                                                 Handy measure

Green plantain                                           2 – 3

Snails, in their shells                                   6 small

Salt                                                             ½ tea spoon

Dry ground dry pepper                              1 tea spoon

Potash                                                       ½ tea spoon

Palm oil                                                      2 table spoons

Directions

1. Clean snails with a brush.
2. Peel the plantain and cut each in 3-4 pieces.
3. Place the plantain and snails in this shells in a pot. Add water to cover. Add palm oil, salt, pepper and potash.
4. When the plantain and snails are soft, remove the snails. Remove the flesh from the shell, cutting away any parts considered inedible.
5. Return the edible portions to the pot and cook for five minutes more.
6. Stir with a wooden spoon so that the plantain thickens the soup.
7. (You can also take 1-2 pieces of plantain, cut into small pieces and blend until smooth in an electric blender with the water from the soup). Serve hot or cold. It is appetizing either way.

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