Isi ewu, Goat head in spicy sauce

Isi ewu, goat head in spicy sauce is a delicacy from Igboland of Eastern Nigeria. Similar to Nkwobi (cow foot in spicy sauce) and Homework (goat foot in spicy sauce), it is more flavoursome because of the addition of the fatty brain of the goat.

I have eaten so much Isi ewu, I could almost identify from which restaurant a plate is bought in my neck of the woods. Some are consistently divine while others are just basic, you could sometimes get tough meat or incomplete parts but the worst is when you have a craving and the best joints have all sold out.

So it is very important to have a good Isi ewu recipe under your belt so there won’t be any stories because the craving for Isi ewu is difficult to ignore.

The goat head is supposed to be cooked whole after the butcher has given it a few cuts in the skull. When cooked, you cut it into pieces. This method is neither easy nor pleasant. I have never done the cutting myself, my Rennaisance man did that for me. The easy way, which is how I now cook goat head, is to have the butcher cut it up into large parts while preserving the brain whole.

For the perfect isi ewu, restraint is key. Do not over spice it or it will overpower the taste and flavour of the creamy sauce. It should be spicy (pepper-hot) but mellow enough so that you can taste the mild sweetness of the sauce.

The important parts of the goat head called Particulars are usually kept whole: the ears, eyeballs and tongue.

Be meticulous about cleaning the tongue, cheeks and ears of the goat.

How to prepare Isi ewu, goat head in spicy sauce

1 Goat head
2 seasoning cubes
Dry chili pepper
salt
4 Ehuru (toasted)
1/4 teaspoon ground uziza seed
2 scotch bonnet
3 leaves Utazi
Akanwu (potash, kaun)*
1/2 cup Palm oil
Garnish
1 small onion
few utazi leaves
1/2 chopped scotch bonnet

*1 tablespoon Akanwu powder (10g) + 2 tablespoons water

Have the butcher cut the goat head into large pieces, leaving the brain, ears, tongue and eyeballs whole.

Wash the pieces well.

Pour hot water on the tongue and cheeks, using a knife, scrape off the white topcoat.

Scrub inside the ears very well.

Gently rinse the whole brain, wrap it in foil and place it along with the meat in a pot.

Add water, salt, seasoning cubes and dry chilli pepper.

Cook meat until soft.

Be careful when adding water and salt because you want to have just about 2 tablespoons of concentrated stock remaining in the pot when meat is ready or you might need to cook it down later.

Fish out the parcel of the brain and set the meat aside to cool down a bit.

Remove excess pieces of bones leaving some intact.

In a blender dry mill grind or pound in a mortar, ehuru, uziza, scotch bonnet and utazi.

In a small bowl, put akanwu powder and water, stir until well mixed, leave to stand to allow any sand to settle at the bottom.

Meanwhile, thinly slice onions into rings, shred utazi and chop pepper for the garnish, set aside.

Pour palm oil into a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of the akanwu (potash) water and stir continuously using a wooden spoon, until the colour of the oil changes from red to yellow.

If it is cracking, add another 1/2 tablespoon of akanwu water and stir.  This is called ncha (soap).

Unwrap the brain and add, mash very well to get a smooth mixture. A pestle does this very well.

Add the ground spices and about 1-2 tablespoons of concentrated meat stock, stir well, taste for seasoning.

You might need to add a 3rd seasoning cube especially if your goat meat is not the very aromatic type.

Dump the cooked goat-head pieces into the slurry and mix to get the sauce into the crevices.

Serve in a bowl garnished with onions rings, scotch bonnet and utazi.

Serve with palm wine or any drink of choice.

Note

• The number of utazi leaves might vary depending on their size.
• I missed out uziza seed, I have updated now.

If you enjoyed my Isi ewu, Goat head in spicy sauce, you will also enjoy my Homework, goat trotters in spicy sauce, Abacha ncha, African Salad, Ugba Salad, Oil bean seed salad and Ngwo ngwo, goat offal pepper soup.

Isi ewu, goat head in spicy sauce

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Isi ewu, goat head in spicy sauce is very flavoursome because of the addition of the fatty brain of the goat.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Igbo, Nigerian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 1 Goat head
• 2 seasoning cubes
• Dry chili pepper
• salt
• 4 Ehuru (toasted)
• ¼ teaspoon ground uziza seed
• 2 scotch bonnet
• 3 leaves Utazi
• Akanwu (potash, kaun*)
• ½ cup Palm oil

Garnish

• 1 small onion
• few utazi leaves
• ½ chopped scotch bonnet

Instructions

 

• Have the butcher cut the goat head into large pieces, leaving the brain, ears, tongue and eyeballs whole. Wash the pieces well.
• Pour hot water on the tongue and cheeks, using a knife, scrape off the white topcoat. Scrub inside the ears very well.
• Gently rinse the whole brain, wrap it in foil and place it along with the meat in a pot.
• Add enough water to cover the meat, add salt, seasoning cubes and dry chilli pepper.
• Cook meat until soft.
• Fish out the parcel of the brain and set the meat aside to cool down a bit.
• Remove excess pieces of bones leaving some intact.
• In a blender dry mill grind or pound in a mortar, ehuru, uziza, scotch bonnet and utazi.
• In a small bowl, put akanwu powder and water (1 tablespoon Akanwu powder (10g) + 2 tablespoons water). Stir until well mixed, leave to stand to allow any sand to settle at the bottom.
• Meanwhile, thinly slice onions into rings, shred utazi and chop pepper for the garnish, set aside.
• Pour palm oil into a bowl.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the akanwu (potash) water and stir continuously using a wooden spoon, until the colour of the oil changes from red to yellow.
• If it is cracking, add another 1/2 tablespoon of akanwu water and stir.
• Unwrap the brain and add, mash very well to get a smooth mixture. A pestle does this very well.
• Add the ground spices and about 1-2 tablespoons of concentrated meat stock, stir well, taste for seasoning.
• You might need to add a 3rd seasoning cube especially if your goat meat is not the very aromatic type.
• Dump the cooked goat-head pieces into the slurry and mix to get the sauce into the crevices.
• Serve in a bowl garnished with onions rings, scotch bonnet and utazi.
• Serve with palm wine or any drink of choice.

Notes

• The number of utazi leaves might vary depending on their size.
• Be careful when adding water and salt because you want to have just about 2 tablespoons of concentrated stock remaining in the pot when meat is ready or you might need to cook it down later.

Keyword beer palour food, meat, pub food

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