Hangouts with Mai Koose; The Food Hut Pict-ionary: 'K' is for Koose

To this I can totally relate. Whilst studying in Zaria, northern Nigeria, the Mai Koose or Mai Shai joint was a regular feature in the social life of most students.

It is comparable to an English man stopping over at the 'Fish and Chips' joint and sitting down to the savour the nice hot meal with a sprinkling of vinegar and or salt, whilst eating it straight from the paper.

Back to Koose. It is commonly made from blended black eyed beans and served as a fritter. Mai Shai, (i.e. The local Tea Man), serves it up hot into paper and 'yaji' if required. Yaji, is a nutty blend of spices that can be dipped into while eating and can be extremely hot!🔥. For those who want a may more filling meal, fried yam (doya) is never far. Mai Shai also serves up fried egg and bread and tea on demand.

So, you can imagine Student life, when sometimes on a reading break or on your way back to the hostel and no cooking plans. Mai Shai always comes in handy and for the typical young African, a spicy snack always goes down better than a sweet treat. Koose has long been a valuable stop gap snack. 

I can recall, often, friends using the time to catch up with others while waiting for their order to come off the fryer. If Mai Koose, has tables, even better. You buy a cold bottled drink and chat with your friends via the light of Mai Koose's stick fire and watch the world go by. A little respite, chill out time and when all is done, you go back to your work.

P.S. some used their Koose as literal 'burgers' between hard dough or sweet bread to go. No time to wait, so  much to catch up with and the need for a filling warm tasty meal is met on the go. 😃. Fast Food 😆

Good job Mai Koose, keep it up. 

Koose is making appearances at some get togethers these days, so remember this blog and have a taste if you have never tried it before. 😊

Till next blog, I remain;

Fally Jay

The way my mother used to cook it.......

Heard that phrase before?..
Under what circumstances I wonder. 😐.

Sometimes, it is the person who believes that his or her mother's ladle is as revered as a judge's gavel and they CAN NOT, ever ever accept anything different as good to eat.
We also know that some folks use that as a cop out to dodge anything new or some generally bad cooking too. 😄

Nonetheless, whilst some people's Mums are indeed legends at cooking, with such skills as need to be retained or passed on, we are coming to a time when new and improved styles of cooking helps to bring more folks round our dinner tables.
As people say for wedding preparations 'Something old and something new'; all in good stead.

If you stick your mum's recipe alone, you may have to stop eating it altogether due to lack of ingredients - you can find alternatives in your environment
Your family, may be the only one cooking and eating such meals as no one else appreciates it or the effort you have made -  you could adapt your meals sometimes to a semblance of what your 'seeker' friends are familiar with.
You could also be missing out on more interesting ways of having your wholesome staples. Such creativity comes in handy, especially when your children or wards grow up in a culture different from that of your ethnic background.

Such fusion or adapted meals could also work out cheaper as you use more available ingredients instead.

That is how fads are started or created. You never know, before long, someone could be 'swearing' by your own new recipe too. 😊


Check out this lady Fafa Gilbert; versatility must be her middle name. It may just surprise you what she has done with your mother's recipe. 😂

Here, she works a fusion of the popular Nigerian Ayamase and Ghanian Tomato stew. 

What's not to love, you tell me.

Happy Easter! Later...

Fally Jay for The Food Hut.