Nigerian Salads

What you find below is a plate of vegie salad, it looks delicious rigNigerian Salads

• Medium size cabbage
• 4 medium size carrot
• lettuce leaves
• 2 cups of chopped green beans
• half cup peas (optional)
• 3 cooked eggs
• one can of baked beans
• 2 big size of cucumber
• salad cream (heinz, BAMA mayonnaise)

Just know that most vegetable salads are usually 50% cabbage, 30% carrot/green beans, 5-10% cucumber while the lettuce leaves, peas, eggs and cream make up the other 10%

Preparation: chop the carrot /green beans/cucumber and set aside in different bowls, I like to peel off the green back of cucumbers and also remove the center seeds, you will learn how this is done by watching how I made salad via the video below.

Slice the cabbage too in a different tray (we use tray often in our home), slice the lettuce leaves, boil the eggs and remove the shell (2-3 eggs).

You then need to soften the cabbage, green beans, carrot and peas, most of the times we boil carrot, green beans and peas together and soak the cabbage in hot water for a minute.

Here is how it is done, add the carrot, green beans and peas to boiling (small) water, and allow to simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes (this is to soften them a little, this practice is elaborated in the video below) heat water to 100 degree celcious (boiling point) and pour into the sliced cabbage in a bowl, allow for a minute then drain.

Also drain the carrot/green beans, peas and set aside in a bowl, now you are ready for the mixing part.
Most people choose to mix salad in a large plate/bowl or a tray.

The mixing is simple: sprinkle a handful of cabbage on the tray, and then sprinkle the carrot/green beans/peas, also the lettuce leaves and keep repeating the process until they are all in one place.

Then slice the egg and drop on the top of the salad. (the egg is mostly for decoration) The final mixing is done as people dish out the salad; you add the salad cream and baked beans. It is good for these two to be separate to avoid getting soured over a long period of time.

Nigerian vegetable salad is served best with either fried rice or jollof rice; it is also very delicious when served alone.