twevePeople often ask, can you recommend any bitter kola recipes? Below are some delicious Bitter Kola recipes you can make with the African natural nut called bitter kola.
Bitter Kola Smoothie
Ingredients: 1-2 pieces of deseeded and skinned bitter kola
- 1 ripe banana
- Greek yoghurt, half a cup
- 1/2 cup of slices of fresh pineapple
Orange juice in a half-cup
If desired, use honey or agave syrup to add sweetness.
- Instructions
- The ingredients should be thoroughly blended.
- For more sweetness, if required, add honey or agave syrup after tasting.
- Enjoy a tasty and healthy smoothie after pouring into a glass.
Bitter Kola Salsa
Ingredients
- A couple of pieces of bitter kola (peeled and cut small).
- 1 red onion, diced finely
- 2-3 tomatoes, cut finely after being deseeded
- 1-2 green chilli peppers, cut finely (depending on your spicy tolerance)
chopped fresh cilantro leaves - 1–2 limes juice
Pepper and salt to taste
- Instructions
- The bitter kola, tomatoes, onions, and green chilli peppers should all be combined in a bowl.
- Lime juice and fresh cilantro leaves should be added.
- To taste, add salt and pepper to the food.
- In order for the flavors to merge, thoroughly combine and let aside for around 15 minutes.
- Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or as a side dish with grilled meats.
Bitter Kola Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1-2 slices of thinly cut bitter kola, peeled.
- mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, etc.)
optional thinly sliced meat, chicken, or tofu - Teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
(Minced) garlic with ginger
- Cooking oil instructions
- Oil in a pan or wok is heated over a high flame.
- Shortly sauté the garlic and ginger after adding them.
- Add the meat or tofu if using, and heat it until browned.
- Add the sliced bitter kola and mixed vegetables. Until they begin to soften, stir-fry for a few minutes.
- For flavor, add soy or teriyaki sauce.
- The bitter kola should continue to stir-fry until it is soft but still slightly crisp.
- Serve with noodles or rice.
Shrimp and Bitter Kola Salad
Ingredients
- A couple of pieces of bitter kola (peeled and cut small).
- Cooked and peeled shrimp
- Spinach, rocket or lettuce in a mixed greens salad
- Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Red onion (sliced thin)
(For dressing) Olive oil with balsamic vinegar
pepper and salt as desired
- Instructions on this bitter kola recipe
- The bitter kola, cooked prawns, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and red onion should all be combined in a big bowl.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently toss the salad to combine the ingredients.
- Serve as a reviving salad with a hint of bitterness.
Bitter Kola and Peanut Soup
Ingredients
- A couple of pieces of bitter kola (peeled and cut small).
- 1 cup of ground or peanut butter-covered peanuts
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, either fresh or canned
- 1 cup of chicken or veggie broth
- Cooking oil
(Optional) Red pepper flakes for heat
pepper and salt as desired
- Instructions
- Oil in a pot is heated to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion, and cook until softened.
- Cook for a few minutes after adding the diced tomatoes.
- Mix thoroughly before adding the ground peanuts or peanut butter.
- Add the bitter kola and then pour in the soup.
- Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if preferred.
- To thicken the soup, simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve hot as a substantial soup with a hint of bitterness.
Bitter Kola and Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- A couple of pieces of bitter kola (peeled and cut small).
- 1 serving of rice
- Coconut milk, 1 cup
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- (Diced) red bell pepper
- fresh or frozen green peas
- Frying fluid
Pepper and salt as desired
- Instructions on how to prepare this Bitter Kola recipes
- Drain the rice after rinsing it in cold water until the water is clear.
- Oil in a pot is heated to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and onion, and cook until transparent.
- Add the bitter kola and diced red bell pepper after stirring.
- The rice should be lightly toasted after being added and sautéed for a few minutes.
- Add the green peas and coconut milk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and let the rice simmer until it is done, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Rice should be fluffed with a fork before serving as a flavorful and slightly astringent side dish.
More about bitter kola’s cultural significance
Many West and Central African societies place a high value on bitter kola, sometimes known as Garcinia kola. Its cultural significance goes beyond its usage as a folk medicine or food ingredient. The cultural significance of bitter kola can be summarized as follows:
Symbol of Hospitality
Bitter kola is frequently given as a sign of hospitality and respect to visitors in many African cultures. Bitter kola nuts are traditionally given to guests as a sign of hospitality and friendliness when they enter a home or community. This custom exemplifies how hospitable and cooperative African communities are.
Rituals and Ceremonies
Weddings, funerals, and other important cultural events all involve bitter kola in their ceremonies and rituals. It serves as a crucial component in ceremonies that stand for harmony, blessings, and the fortification of interpersonal bonds. To seal the marriage contract, for instance, families may exchange bitter kola nuts at weddings.
Traditional Healing and Medicine
For ages, traditional African medicine has employed bitter kola. Due to its alleged medical benefits, healers and herbalists have used it in their treatments. It is used to treat a variety of health concerns, such as infections, digestive disorders, and respiratory diseases. The cultural significance of bitter kola in this context comes from its use as a traditional natural treatment.
Spiritual and Ritualistic Uses
Bitter kola is connected to spiritual practizes and beliefs in various African societies. It might be used in rituals that help individuals connect with their ancestors or the spiritual world as an offering or an ingredient. The complexity and difficulties of life are frequently represented symbolically by the bitter taste.
Social Gatherings
Social gatherings and meetings typically involve the sharing of bitter kola nuts. They are frequently presented as a sign of harmony, peace, and reconciliation. Sharing bitter kola provides communities with a chance to bond, celebrate, and settle disputes.
Traditional Storytelling
The sour kola nut appears in mythology and storytelling in some civilizations. It could be a prop or a symbol in conventional stories, aiding in the transmission of cultural tales and knowledge from one generation to the next.
Gift Exchanges
During important occasions and festivals, bitter kola nuts are frequently given as gifts. These interactions represent the respect and love that people or communities have for one another.
Labclinic56
Follow us on our social media platforms
for more bitter kola recipes and more.
Welcome to Labclinic56, we pride ourselves as one of the world’s leading open-access medical and life insurance hubs.
We are a tight-knit community of Scientific, medical and Life insurance experts that produce and share latest information, in readable and understandable way.
Medical and life insurance researchers can access a wealth of open-access content from thought leaders across the world.
tweve
