If I am craving Nigerian food I have three options
- Spend the day cooking a big pot of jollof rice, which I can do with my eyes closed. However, the only ingredients I have in the house seems to be white rice. I then make two trips to the shops, because I always forget the chicken stock.
- Spend the day pouring over take away menus, shaking my head at the crazy price of a main (£15-£20) with no sides. I usually give in and place an order around 8pm, and eat the expensive dinner around 9.30 pm, still debating with myself whether the food was worth it.
- Spend the morning debating where to travel to, in order to pick up authentic African food and then buy everything on the menu.
Well last week, AriatuPR provided me with an opportunity to review Tasty African Food meal deals currently on offer at Sainsbury’s. I couldn’t say YES fast enough. I have ordered countless takeaways from the Woolwich branch of Tasty African restaurant and always loved it.Typically, I would order Jollof rice and assorted meats stew, Spinach stew and pounded yam, all delicious. I could not wait to try their meals in the comfort of my home.
The parcel arrived, my expectations were high and my stomach started rumbling. I opened the box and grinned when I saw Ayamashe (hot pepper sauce ), Eforiro (spinach stew) and Dodo (plantain) and Gizzard. The packaging showcasing vivid images of the contents was very inviting.That 10 kg bag of white rice at the ready in my cupboard exists for sweet moments like these.
TASTY HOT PEPPER SAUCE : AYAMASHE
This is a Nigerian stew made with green bell pepper , chillies , Hot pepper, onions , onions , Crayfish , Palm oil etc. You can find it at many Nigerian parties being guarded by a few aunties.
I cooked some white rice , boiled an egg and went to work on the sauce. It needs to be said that this stew gets a solid 9 out of 10. It was very flavourful , spicy and most of all authentic. It was also filled with juicy assorted meats such as beef , tripe and cow leg. The stew exceeded my expectations.
TASTY SPINACH STEW : EFO
This Nigerian Spinach stew is a staple of many Nigerian homes. It’s a traditional dish made with Spinach, red peppers, hot peppers, Palm oil , stock fish, Locust beans, assorted meats etc. I actually cooked some efo a while back.
Once again I paired this with white rice and plantains. The taste was on point. The fish and meats were soo tender, it makes you want to have more. For non Nigerians the closest dish I can compare this with is an Indian spinach dish called Sag Aloo. I give this a solid 8.5 out of 10 .You can get 2 – 3 servings out of the stew.
TASTY AFRICAN PLANTAIN (DODO) AND GIZZARD
I cooked some Jollof and quickly paired this with the Plantain and Gizzard aka Gizdodo. They did a solid job with this as the taste was authentic. I give this a 8 out of 10.
Benefits
- The price point of all the dishes reviewed in this post is around £8, which is cheap in comparison to similar dishes on Uber eats (I am not naming the popular Nigerian restaurant ).
- You dont have to spend hours preparing and cooking the dishes. If family members turn up at your door unannounced all you need to do is pop it in the microwave (or microwavy in the words of Nigella) for a few minutes.
- If you moved away from London and you are craving Nigerian dishes, like my brother who moved to the sticks of Surrey. Pilgramages to Peckham or asking mum to bring you a cooler of beans can take a back burner. Just find a Sainsbury’s and try your luck.
Good quality food, inexpensive and readily available. This is a revolution.
There goes my review of Tasty African food meal deals. Thanks AriatuPR.
