AYARAYA JI AND ECHICHA: INTRODUCING THE TWO DELICACIES OF THE NSUKKA PEOPLE OF ENUGU STATE AND THROWING LIGHT ON THEIR PREPARATION

 

BY OBINNA EKE AND UGWOKE, JULIANA UCHENNA

(National Commission for Museums and Monuments)

INTRODUCTION:

Food is a substance consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, fats and other nutrients used in the body of an organism to sustain growth. Hoy-Rosas, Arrecis and Avila (2010) sees food culture as the practices, attitudes and beliefs as well as the networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution and consumption of food. It incorporates the cultural heritage and ethnicity but is not limited to it.

Cultural or traditional foods are foods locally sourced and prepared, which represents the traditional beliefs and practices of a geographical region, religious bodies or cross cultural community (Family, 2000).

Nsukka people and their culture are seen portrayed in their identity through their local cuisines. Two of such cuisines are Ayaraya Ji and Echicha, some of the most prized cuisines of the Nsukka people of Enugu State. Ayaraya Ji and Echicha are healthy, full of flavour, and nourishing to the body. They are traditional delicacies of the people that have been passed and consumed from generation to generation (FAO, 2020). They are traditional in nature, have historic precedent in local, regional and national cuisines. 

Ayaraya ji (picture adapted from the internet)

GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND OF NSUKKA

Nsukka community is the headquarters of Enugu North Senatorial zone. It includes all communities that make up the old division now known as Nsukka zone. These are Enugu Ezike, Ozalla, Opi, Obukpa, Lejja, Ibagwe, Aka, Ukehe, Obollo Afor, Ikem, Ohodo, Nkpologeon, Uruuru, Nimbo, Nrobo, Oroko, Neke, Mbu, Ogbodo Aba and host of many other communities. However, most people from these communities refer to Nsukka as their home. Nsukka shares boundaries with Idoma in Benue State in the North-East and Igalla, Kogi State in the North-West. It is bounded in the East by Ishiehe in Abakaliki zone in Ebonyi State and Nike in Enugu zone. It shares boundaries with Udi in the South and Ifite Awgwali area of Anambra State (seeds of wisdom...)

There is no true way to experience people’s culture than through their food. The indigenous people of Nsukka are people of diverse culture; and at the center of their culture is their food. Nsukka people pride themselves and are reputed as having the most in terms of the number of cuisines in Enugu state, and even beyond. Such delicious cuisines include; Igbangwu, Ayaraya Azizi, Echicha, Okpa Otipiri and Ayaraya Ji, etc. Among these native cuisines of Nsukka, this paper focuses on the procedure for preparing two of the highly nutritious and sumptuous delicacies known as Ayaraya Ji and Echicha.

Ayaraya Ji is a porridge made with yam (Ji) and pigeon peas known in Nsukka dialect as “Agbugbu”, but in some other parts of Enugu especially, they call it fio-fio.

In Nsukka dialect “Ayaraya” means mixture, so Ayaraya ji is a mixture of two main ingredients yam and pigeon peas with other ingredients for taste and flavour.

Echicha is made with pigeon peas (Agbugbu) and dried cocoyam (Echicha) with other ingredients for taste and flavour like the Ayaraya ji. 

 

Echicha (picture adapted from the internet)

 

The preparation of Ayaraya ji and Echicha requires that one exercises patience as it could take not less than two hours for softening of the pigeon peas alone. Pigeon peas belong to the beans family. If the other species of beans take a yard to cook, pigeon peas takes a mile. These days, the cooking time or period for softening or preparation of pigeon peas can be shortened by the use of a pressure pot. In the absence of a pressure pot people soak the Pigeon peas for a long time, usually over-night.

Getting the best out of the two combinations of pigeon peas and yam (Ayaraya Ji); and dried cocoyam and pigeon peas (Echicha) requires relevant skill and appreciable amount of ingredients. Lots of palm oil, pepper and others are notable ingredients required to make the two delicacies.

A.      PREPARATION OF AYARAYA JI

Recipe for Ayaraya Ji

The ingredients for the preparation of Ayaraya Ji include the following:

• Yam (preferably old yam as it tastes better and slimy like new yam).
• Pigeon pea (Agbugbu or fio-fio)
•  Onions
• Pepper (preferably Ose Nsukka, the yellow Nsukka pepper for its unique flavour)
• Fresh red oil
• Ugba or Ukpaka (sliced fermented oil bean)
•  Uziza - Piper guineense (pounded, at least a full table spoon)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh Utazi leaves for garnishing

Method of Preparation

• De-stone and wash the pigeon peas and pour into a pot of boiling water and cook for about two hours or more
• Peel your yam, cut into small bits and pour into the pot of boiling peas
• When the yam is soft, set aside and then mesh the yam in a mortar. Be careful not to turn the yam into pounded yam. The kitchen knife can be used to cut the yam into tiny pieces. Use of mortar and pestle is better considering that it gives the needed fluffiness
• Slice your onions, pound or ground your pepper and uziza
• Prepare your palm oil sauce by heating your palm oil on a separate pot/frying pan, and pour the chopped onions and others, add pepper, salt, and ukpaka, seasoning cube and sliced cent leaves. Allow to cook for two minutes. The palm oil should not be allowed to bleach; if it does it will affect the taste and colour
•  Pour the sauce into the already boiled pigeon peas and meshed yam; and use a wooden spoon to stir thoroughly, dish it and your meal is ready.

B.         PREPARATION OF ECHICHA

Recipe for Echicha

·         Smoked cocoyam (Echicha)

·         Pigeon peas (Agbugbu or fio-fio)

·         Onions

·         Pepper (yellow Nsukka pepper)

·         Fresh palm oil

·         Ugba or Ukpaka (sliced fermented oil bean)

·         Fresh Utazi leaves (sliced)

·         Salt to taste

·         Seasoning cubes

Method of preparation

·         After de-stoning the pigeon peas, wash and pour into a boiling water

·         Pound the echicha (not into powder), put into a bowl of water and allow to soak 10–20 minutes at least

·         Wash properly to remove sand and thereafter, drain the water

·         Fetch according to your choice, a sizeable measure of the echicha into the appropriate size of leave (banana or plantain mostly), fold and tie securely. The new generation prefers the nylon, known locally as waterproof. The old generation uses leave. According to them it is medicinal and therefore healthy for the body

·         Introduce the folded/tied echicha into the already cooking pot of pigeon pea

·         Keep checking until both (pigeon pea and the wrapped echicha) are done

·         Drain the water from the pot and unwrap the echicha and mix with pigeon pea

·         Make your palm oil sauce by heating the red oil on a separate pot/frying pan, and pour your chopped onions and others, add pepper, salt, ukpaka, scent leave (sliced) and allow to cook for two minutes.

·      Pour the palm oil sauce into the already mixed echicha and pigeon peas and stir to mix very well, and your delicious meal is ready

The golden yellow of Ayaraya ji; and chocolate colour of Echicha, interspersed with some red and green colours that arrest the eyes as one approach for the first time the two Nsukka delicacies are eloquent testimony of the saying “the eyes eat first”. Soon after Ayaraya ji and/or Echicha is eaten, ones is dumbfounded to identify that he/she has joined the long list of men and women that have become consistent devourers of the mountain on the top of a plate (heap of Ayaraya ji/Echicha), and a strong advocate of the two delicacies. To the Nsukka people and numerous others outside Nsukka who are regular consumers of the Nsukka meals, this is a confirmation that “Ayaraya ji and Echicha” are delicious and nutritious. On our part we draw attention to the age long wise saying: the taste of the food is in the pudding.

 

Smoked Cocoyam (adapted from the internet)

 

CONCLUSION

The two delicacies “Ayaraya ji and Echicha” are full meal. They contain the major nutrients needed to nourish the body, namely: carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, fats and oil. Like humans, these meals have gone beyond the physical boarders of the original area of Nsukka, permeating Enugu state and extended beyond it, gaining popularity and acceptance in numerous other states.     

REFERENCES

Emmanuel G. (2008) You are what you Eat, Jos: Rehoboth Publication

Hoy-Rosas J. Arrecis E, Avila M. (2010) Central American Food Practices. In Goody C. (2010) Cultural Food Practices. USA: American Dietetic Association

Family J. (2000) Food and Culture Available at https://family.jrank.org.retrieved on 14/04/2022

Seeds of Wisdom (   ) https://seedsofwisdom.earth/promotingresources.com.retrieved 9/04/2022