London Chef Puts A Vegan Spin On Classic Nigerian Cuisine

Nigeria is home to a rich cooking tradition rooted in fresh, wholesome plant ingredients that are always spiced to perfection. In Vegan Nigerian Kitchen, Nigerian-British chef and blogger, Tomi Makanjuola, taps into her Nigerian roots to create a range of tempting plant-based recipes inspired by her time growing up in this populous West African country.

The comprehensive cookbook features 100 vegan recipes from different regions across Nigeria. Readers will learn fun facts and key information about staple Nigerian ingredients and cooking tools, and gain insight into ancient and modern cooking techniques. The recipes are designed to be accessible to a modern audience so that those familiar or new to the cuisine will feel comfortable getting stuck in and adding these mouth-watering recipes to their repertoire.

Tomi Makanjuola was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to the UK with her family in her teens. She switched to a vegan lifestyle for health and ethical reasons whilst completing a year abroad in France. It was during this time that she founded The Vegan Nigerian, a blog and platform dedicated to making Nigerian cuisine and veganism accessible to members of her community and beyond. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English and French, she worked as a professional chef at vegan restaurants in Central London, all whilst hosting vegan Nigerian themed pop-up restaurants, cooking workshops and developing online recipe content. She is also the author of Plantain Cookbook.

In Vegan Nigerian Kitchen, Tomi shines a light on naturally vegan-friendly meals such as Acha (Fonio Porridge) and Asaro (Yam Pottage). She veganises classics such as Egusi Soup (Melon Seed Soup), Iwuk Edesi (Native Jollof Rice), Miyan Taushe (Pumpkin Vegetable Stew) and Pepper Soup. Nigeria’s rich snack culture is represented with the likes of vegan Gala Sausage Rolls, Meatless Pie, Kuli Kuli, Coconut Candy, Masa, and lots more!

Delicious mains like Amala and Gbegiri Soup draw readers into an ancient food culture and style of eating, and Northern Nigerian drinks like Kunun Aya (Spiced Tiger Nut Milk) will allow home cooks to stretch their kitchen skills, play with new ingredients and impress dinner guests.

Vegans and non-vegans alike will enjoy the wide range of comforting one-pot Nigerian stews and soups, rice dishes, savoury snacks and sweet treats. The recipes are accompanied by gorgeous photographs, with engaging commentary, personal anecdotes, cooking tips, ingredient shopping advice and regional cuisine facts on every page.

Commenting on the launch Tomi told The Vegan Kind: “It has been a pleasure to put these recipes together, drawing on the traditional Yoruba meals I grew up eating and loving, but also pushing myself to include dishes from other tribes across Nigeria. My hope is that this cookbook will be a worthy starting point for you to try some of the best of what we have. I hope it gives you the grounding and confidence to delve fully into the beautiful world of Nigerian cuisine...vegan style!”