ISI EWU (GOAT HEAD)

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Isi Ewu is a dish that is usually mistaken for the dish Nkwobi because they both have similar ingredients. However, just as the name rings, Isi Ewu means goat’s head which is the main ingredient and difference to Nkwobi. Peculiar to South-eastern Nigeria, a celebration is not complete in the absence of Isi Ewu.

Isi Ewu. Photo: Food Pam Food Recipe Collections

Ingredients

• 1 Goat head
• 2 teaspoon of Ehuru (calabash nutmeg)
• 1 handful of sliced Utazi leaves
• 1 teaspoon of edible potash (akaun)
• 3 cubes of seasoning
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 tbsps of blended fresh pepper
• 1 cup of palm oil
• 1 tbsp of crayfish (optional)
• Salt to taste

Note:

Goat head has a thick bone and comes with a sooth filled skin. Be sure to tell the butcher to scrape and cut into pieces while making sure that essential parts remain whole such as the ear, tongue and the brain. The brain is set aside from the rest of the meat because it is used also as a thickener for the sauce.

Before we cook, be sparing in your use of water, you need little water for the stock.

Method

1. In a pot, place the meat with the brain included, adding an onion (grated), the seasoning, a tablespoon of pepper, salt, water and allow to boil until the meat is tender.
2. While the meat boils, slice the other onions into rings, dissolve potash with a little amount of water and sieve.
3. A while into the meat boiling, take out the brain and place in a small mortar, add the other spoon of blended pepper and mash. When the meat is ready, separate stock from meat.
4. Pour oil into another dry pot. Little by little, pour potash into the oil and stir with a spatula until palm oil turns yellow and thicken.
5. Add the mashed brain, the stock of the meat, ehuru, crayfish, and continue to stir until blended.
6. Place the meat into the mixture and stir. Turn on the heat, until steaming hot.
7. Garnish with sliced onion rings and utazi leaves. Serve in a small wooden mortar.