How to Make Nigerian Pate (Braised Maize Porridge)

Pate (braised maize porridge) is a special traditional dish mostly cooked and eaten in the Northern part of Nigeria. In specific, it is one of the traditional recipes of the Southern Kaduna people. It is prepared for tribal meetings and even occasions like weddings, sendforths and traditional marriage. The main ingredient of this recipe, is the braised Maize, which is locally known as “Tsaki or Tsakin pate” in Hausa.

Braised maize (tsaki) can be bought in the local market. In a situation where you don’t get it at the market, no need to worry because you can make it on your own at home. To make yours, you will be needing 1/2 or 1 tier of maize.

Below is a video on how to prepare Tsakin Pate you can watch or continue reading the steps below.

Get your dried maize and get rid of the dirt in it by blowing it. Turn in a container and sprinkle some water over it.

Take for grinding known as “Barji” in Hausa. It should be grinded once so as to get the required texture. Note: the grinding should be dry.

Sieve it to separate the flour from the crushed maize using a sieve.

Use a tray to sieve the coat of the maize then turn in a bowl. Shake the bowl from left to right to remove the coat of the maize that will come up.

After that, fetch the 2 cups you will be using and set the rest aside for future use.

Pate has so many ingredients that can be added to it like Beans, Meat (beef), Tomatoes, garden eggs, white zobo sepals etc. But some are optional.

For today’s cooking, we will be making it simple and I will also be telling you how to cook it when you want to use the optional ingredients. You can also use biscuit bones instead of Meat, personally I feel it’s better except in a situation where the biscuit bones are not available.

Kenaf Leaves are often used because it has the sour taste, it keeps the porridge thick and it is very healthy.

African spinach can also be used but in little quantity because it makes the porridge watery after a while.

For those who will want to add Beans to the pate, these are the first few steps you will take before following the rest of the steps.

Wash the 1 ½ cups of beans twice with warm water and set in a pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and set on heat to cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, wash the pieces of meat and add to the beans. Add 1 seasoning cube and allow both to cook till soft.

Then you can follow the rest of the steps to continue cooking.

Ingredients

2 cups of braised Maize (tsaki)
Meat
1 tablespoon of grounded Locust Beans
1 cup of groundnut
1 medium size onion
7 pieces of fresh tomatoes(optional)
9 pieces of pepper
1 bunch of Kenaf Leaf (Rama)
1 bunch of the star shape Kenaf leaf (Yakuwa)
1 tin of white zobo sepals (optional)
Scent Leaves
Spring Onions
7 seasoning Cubes
Salt

Below is the complete video on how to prepare this recipe.

Nigerian Pate Preparation

Add 700ml of water on heat and allow to boil.

Put the white zobo sepal in a bowl and add the now boiling water to it. Cover the bowl and allow for 15 minutes before washing. Note: You can add 1/2 teaspoon of potash to it if you don’t want the sour taste.

Wash the pieces of meat, put in a pot. Add water and 1 seasoning cube. Set on heat and allow to cook till soft.

Wash the Kenaf leaves, pick and chop it into large pieces and set in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt and add water. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before washing with water twice.

Wash and slice the tomatoes and onion bulb in a bowl and set aside.

Pick and wash the scent leaves and set aside.

Crush the Groundnut and wash, chop the spring Onion and set aside .

Chopped spring onion and crushed groundnut

Wash and grate the pepper and set aside.

When the meat is cooked, add the washes white zobo sepals, locust beans, grated pepper and add a liter of water to the pot.

Add salt to taste, the seasoning cubes. Cover the pot and allow to boil.

Using your spatula, stir as you add the tsaki in the boiling water. Keep stirring to avoid it making molds.

Allow to cook till soft and forms a thick porridge after stirring.

Use a spoon to taste the porridge to know if it’s all soften up. If yes, add the washed scent leaves, chopped spring onions and stir.

Add the slices tomatoes, sliced onion and stir before adding the crushed groundnut. Stir and add water if too thick. Close the pot and allow to cook for 5 minutes.