In Nigeria, street foods are more than just a quick bite to eat. It’s a symbol of culture, geography, and much more. Every state and their local government in Nigeria has its own indigenous street cuisines that are unique to that region, but nowhere is the beauty of Nigerian street foods more evident than in Lagos. In busy cities, street foods and snacks are more common.
Knowing what types of street foods are available is essential for selecting the right one for your taste palate and the occasion. The options are nearly endless, whether it’s eating roasted spicy meat strips at night, plantains roasted over an open fire and served with a spicy tomato sauce, or dried shredded cassava served with fish.
Here’s a list of some of the most popular street foods in Nigeria.
- Bread
- Suya
- Barbecue
- Abacha
- Bolé
- Corn (roasted and boiled)
- Roasted Cocoyam
- Garden eggs
- Groundnut
- Pastries such as egg-roll, puff puff, and meat pie…
- Fruits and healthy snacks such as watermelon, pineapple, apple, carrots, dates, kuli-kuli…and so on.
If you find yourself in any Nigerian city’s streets, you can get most of these items.
1. Abacha (African Salad)
This dish comes from Eastern Nigeria and is made with dried shredded cassava. It can be garnished with garden eggs if desired. This exotic dish is simple to make and may be eaten as a meal or a snack.
2. Beef Suya (Spiced Grilled Skewers)
It comes from Northern Nigeria and is one of the most popular street meals in Nigeria. Suya is a skewered beef dish seasoned with dry pepper and other spices and served with onions and tomatoes.
3. Bolé:
Although bolé is popular in the Western part of Nigeria, where it is known as boli, Port Harcourt residents claim it to be a state cuisine, as they host a bolé festival. Plantains, uncut and cooked on a grill, are eaten with a palm oil sauce, sliced peppers and tomatoes, and grilled fish in the Bolé dinner. On the other hand, Boli in Lagos and other Western Nigerian cities may serve it with roasted groundnuts.
4. Corn (Cooked or Roasted)
Corn isn’t always readily accessible on street corners because it is grown at specific periods of the year. Unlike most street foods, we’ve got these on this list. It is, nevertheless, very popular for the few months it is available–usually between August and November.
Corn can be seen on practically every street corner throughout the summer months. The most common methods of preparation include boiling it in a pot or roasting it over an open fire and serving it with ube, or local pears. Giant pots or metal cylinders used to sell boiled corn or makeshift barbecues used by vendors selling roasted corn are familiar sights on many streets.
5. Akara
It’s also known as bean cake, This is the most popular breakfast option in most Nigerian homes. It is very easy to prepare. A paste is made from thoroughly washed beans, pepper, onions, and salt, then fried. It gets crunchy or soft depending on how long you fry it. It is enjoyed with bread, pap, custard, and Garri.
So, what’s your favorite street food?
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