Creatively Preparing Delicious Bone Dishes.

We know the main health advantage of eating bones is because they are a good source of marrow which gives numerous health benefits. The next thing to do, is to learn is how to cook delicious and appetizing meals with it in creative ways.

Bone broth is trending now but there is nothing like cooking bone with peppers and spices. Most of us eat soups, stews or broths of some kind already, so  you can just use the following bony parts as your bone source:

Chicken feet, neck, wings and back.

Goat back, head, neck and legs.

Cow or lamb legs, ribs, neck, joints. In Nigeria, the hard parts of joints are stripped off, leaving the succulent bones. (ashamo egungun).

Pig trotters.

Bones can replace beef,  chicken  or other protein sources for those trying to cut down on calories. Here are a few tips on creating bone dishes.

Making Bone Pepper Soup

1.       Bone source of choice.

2.       Nigerian pepper soup mix (African black pepper, Ethiopian pepper, false nutmeg, cloves etc.)

3.       Clove basil or any basil, chopped into smaller slices.

4.       Scotch or habanero pepper, ground. Dry ground pepper, Cameroun pepper or chili or paprika will  also do.

5.       Other ingredients like onions, garlic, ginger, salt etc.

Wash and cook bones on high heat for 30 minutes with seasoning, onions garlic and salt, then simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Add the pepper soup mix and ground pepper and allow simmering for 15 minutes. Add the chopped basil leaves and leave for 5 minutes. Serve.

Pepper soup is also fantastic for cold or rainy days, nasal congestion, to recuperate when ill and to cleanse the womb after child delivery. Pepper soup mix spices, pepper and basil have healing properties and adding these to those of bone marrow, you’ve got a lot to benefit. For those outside Nigeria, pepper soup mi can be purchased from most African food stores.

Making bone broth is easy too and can be prepared in the same way as pepper soup but with ingredients like parsley, carrots, basil, onions, celery, garlic and spices.

Cooked bones can be added to pepper stews, beans soups and groundnut soups. They are then allowed to simmer for 30 minutes. Pepper stew is made from scotch or Jamaican peppers, tomatoes, bell peppers  and onions mixture. ginger and garlic may be included and some oil is added.

  

No matter where you are from or live, there will always be a good way to cook bone creatively or more.

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