How To Make Onunu – Ingredients And Procedures

Onunu is a delicacy from Rivers State, Nigeria that has a long and rich history. On this page, I want to tell you everything you need to know on how to make Onunu plus all the ingredients needed to for this delicacy.

The list of ingredients for Onunu is surprisingly short, given its amazing flavour and fluffy texture. It is made of pounded yam with boiled plantains.

Ingredients

The two main ingredients for Onunu are mashed yam and plantain, but there are a few more ingredients you will need to recreate the beloved taste of Onunu, Rivers state style. Here is what you will require for this recipe:

2 Plantains
3 Yam slices
1/2 Cup of Palm oil
Salt – to taste
Pepper – to taste

How To Make Onunu (Step By Step)

If you have never cooked Onunu before, you are probably going to be surprised by how easy this dish is. Take these steps to make your first batch of delicious Onunu:

Peel the skin from the yam slices and rinse them. Put the yams into an empty pot.
Add enough water to cover the yams, put on a stove, and bring to a boil.
Cook the yams until they are soft.
Wash the plantains and slice each plantain into 2 or 3 slices, leaving the skin on. Put the plantains into an empty pot.
Cover the plantain slices with water, put on a stove, and bring to a boil.
Cook until the plantains are soft.
Take the yam slices out of the water, put into a mortar, and pound with a pestle while the yam is still hot.
Peel the skin off the plantains while they are still hot and add to the pounded yams. Pound together until you reach an airy and uniform consistency ( perfect blend).
Add the salt, pepper, and palm oil. Continue pounding the mix until the mixture reaches a warm yellow colour and a sleek shine. Note: Make sure not to pound your Onunu too much – it can lead to a rubbery, doughy texture you don’t want.
Shape the Onunu into a ball. The pounded yam and plantain Onunu is ready!
Serve your Onunu with your favourite stew or soup. It tastes particularly great with seafood, so if you are planning to make a seafood stew, you already know what to serve with it.