As I may have mentioned once or twice in the past during my weeks long babbles on Trinidad & Tobago there is a rather large population of Nigerians residing in the country. So I don't get side tracked, the point I'm trying to make is you needn't go all the way to Nigeria to experience things like Iyan. Iyan also known as pounded yam is a favorite dish among many Nigerians and served with a spicy stew which I sampled during my TT days. My first attempt with the odd tasting play-doughish yam went well, though it takes a lot of getting used to. Quite frankly I couldn't make much sense about the popular Nigerian food my friend raved about with bright eyes.

However, I'm sure there is nothing like good old Iyan direct from the lands of Lagos in Nigeria as my friend described. You'll have to ask around for the best places to sample the dish when and if you arrive. This post is more to get you curious about the food. To further your searches check out these incredible shots of Nigeria and other African countries from Betty Press. The way she captures this man and his pestle hard at work is pretty awesome. If the photos inspire you to cook up some pounded yam start with this recipe found here.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Africa, Nigeria