One of your pen friends has written asking you to describe your favourite Nigerian dish to enable her to prepare it. Write back to her explaining how the dish is cooked.
Explanation
P.O.Box 3002
Ikeja, Lagos
Nigeria.
18th April, 1989.
Dear Bill,
l am delighted to write this letter to you. How are you? I hope that you are doing very fine. I received your letter last week in which you asked me to tell you my favourite Nigerian dish and how it is prepared.
My favourite food is pounded yam which is also the favourite food of my town's people. Among my people, pounded yam is regarded as the king of all food. It is taken most especially in the afternoon or in the evening because it is rather heavy and it takes some time to prepare. I like pounded yam so much that I can take it three times in a day especially if I have the usual melon soup that most people love to eat pounded yam with.
As I said earlier on. pounded yam takes some time to prepare. We need some tubers of yam to make it. The number of tubers depends on the number of people who are going to eat it and their appetite. The yam will be peeled and sliced into small pieces after which it is washed and arranged neatly in a cooking pot. Some water is poured in to the Pot to boil the yam on fire. When the yam is perfectly boiled for about fifty minutes, It is ready for pounding.
The most arduous part of the preparation of pounded yam is pounding which requires a lot of strength and skill. Two or more people are usually engaged in the pounding depending on the number of people who are going to eat and the size of the mortar used. The boiled yams are pounded with pestles which land on the yams at a quick succession. Hot water is added to the pounded yam from time to time until it. becomes succulent and supple for eating. Then the pounded yam is ready for serving into plates.
Meanwhile, the melon stew or soup must have been equally prepared with all necessary ingredients and meat. When the stew is done and ready, it will also be served for consumption. Pounded yam goes with many types of stews but I prefer melon stew anytime, any day. Pounded yam with melon stew or even any stew for that matter is a pleasant delicacy which anybody will enjoy.
I know that you will enjoy eating pounded yam if you try to prepare it. I have one belief that pounded yam is a good food for all races. I would want you to write me very soon and tell me about your own favourite American dish.
Extend my sincere greetings to every member of your family.
Yours sincerely,
Kola.