It looks like a black valentine bouquet but it's just a bunch of a fruit I loved and would gorge on sometimes while still in Nigeria. I want some now! LOL...
Happy weekend people. Let's shake off and have some fun. This is called Icheku in Igbo, what is it called in your Nigerian or African language? Is there an English or botanical name? Most importantly, where can I find some to buy outside Nigeria, specifically in the USA North-west?
Its called black velvet tamarind in English
ReplyDeleteIt is called "Awin" in Yoruba, I hope I am right oh, not so sure about the name but I loved it as a kid too.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Lara. It's awin. Plentiful in the rainy season. I'd forgotten about it. I'll add it to my list of things to eat in Naija.
DeleteThanks for sharing, Myne.
It is called bournvita in pidgin English.
ReplyDeleteMyne, this your cravings. I'm looking @ u with my side eye o.
ReplyDeleteLol....it's a good thing nau...lemme join you in the looking
Deletei remember in Sec school, JS1 to be precise, how my classmates will go pluck the leaves and eat, saying it had high nutritional value.
ReplyDeletei Love icheku very much even though wen i have a lot of it, it hurts my tongue but i don't mind. As a kid growing up, we had this father's relative that brings it in bulk and that really kept us very busy and we nicknamed the woman "mama icheku" lol.
I like it alot...me no know o. If you get address please share make I order online ..xx...
ReplyDeleteI love this fruit too. When my mum comes to visit, she always peels of the back and packages the fruit for me. Bribe me and I will send some to u when my mum visits next :)
ReplyDeleteIt's caalled icheku where I'm from 2, eng name velvet tamarind.
ReplyDeletewww.thatssewnaija.blogspot.com
Its called amugen in my place
ReplyDeleteYep Amugen. Bini or maybe Edo name not sure.
DeleteWe called it likiliki as kids. Never cared to find out the botanical name. Now i know....
ReplyDeleteLol@ likiliki
ReplyDeletelol! Likiliki. Oh my days... Yorubas call it 'Awin'
ReplyDeleteYou wont find it in the states, but the closest taste to it is regular Tamarind at your Indian, Asian or International/world market type stores. Like here in Cincinnati we have a store called Jungle Jims and you can buy a box of Tamarind pods. Don't get the paste or chutney, you want the brown pods that you can crack open :) Good Luck!
ReplyDelete@likiliki, I bet you grew up in lagos!
ReplyDeleteIt was so annoying having lagos girls in second school call Icheku likiliki and Okpa, yellow moi moi
Heard the leaves are medicinal. Still trying to confirm that
ReplyDelete