A soul-warming dish of yam chunks cooked in spicy broth with goat meat, fish, or offal, flavored with uda seeds, ehuru, and fresh basil. In Edo homes, it’s served both as comfort food and as a celebration dish for new mothers or guests. 1)
A creamy, reddish soup made from palm oil, potash, crayfish, and sometimes blended tomatoes. Eaten with starch or boiled yam, it’s both silky and smoky — a beloved Edo-Benin signature. 2)
A dark-green, intensely aromatic soup made from blended bitterleaf, scent leaf, and uziza, cooked with palm oil and assorted meats. The deep color and herbal aroma make it one of Edo’s most fascinating traditional soups — medicinal and flavorful at once. 3)
A nutty, rich stew made from roasted groundnuts, dried fish, and meat, often cooked with locust beans for umami. It’s comfort food that bridges forest and savanna — gentle yet layered. 4)
A silky red soup from palm fruit extract, cooked with smoked fish, periwinkles, and meat. Each family has its own twist — some add ogiri or banga spice for extra depth. 5)
Made with pounded cocoyam and palm oil, thickened to a creamy texture and flavored with crayfish, stockfish, and vegetables. It’s a festive dish known for its smooth consistency and mild sweetness. 6)
A creative twist on pepper soup — unripe plantains and yams cooked together in a peppery goat broth. It’s slightly starchy, subtly sweet, and fiery — a dish that feels both ancient and modern. 7)
A special Esan version of egusi, prepared with ground melon seeds, scent leaves, and smoked fish, giving it a floral, peppery aroma. Served with pounded yam or eba, it’s deeply comforting and unforgettable. 8)
A thick, glossy soup made from wild mango seeds, cooked with palm oil, okra, and meat. Edo cooks often toast the ogbono first for a nutty undertone — it’s a texture-lover’s dream. 9)
Rice simmered in palm oil, crayfish, pepper, and smoked fish, yielding a deep red color and a smoky coastal flavor. Unlike party jollof, this version is more rustic and savory, beloved in Edo villages. 10)
A delicacy for special occasions — snails and periwinkles sautéed in palm oil with pepper, onions, and spices. Rich, glossy, and spiced just right, it’s often paired with boiled plantains. 11)
A rare heritage dish combining fresh corn kernels and cocoyam mash, cooked with palm oil, onions, and pepper. It’s seasonal and sweet — an ingenious use of farm produce after harvest. 12)
Made from fermented oil beans (ukpaka), palm oil, pepper, and ogiri, this sauce is served with boiled yam or plantain. It’s tangy, smoky, and full of probiotic goodness — a hidden Edo treasure. 13)
A traditional snack made from fermented cassava pulp, steamed in leaves and eaten with pepper sauce or groundnut paste. Its slightly sour, earthy flavor pairs beautifully with palm wine — a taste of village life. 14)
A modern fusion rooted in local ingredients — fresh catfish simmered with tomatoes, peppers, scent leaves, and a touch of coconut milk. It captures Esan creativity — grounded in tradition but open to innovation. 15)