Yamarita - A Fun Yam Dish

Yamarita served with Nigerian bean hummus, avocado dip and ata dindin
Yams are like potatoes in Nigeria (and they are definitely not sweet potatoes as wrongly portrayed in some places.) They are a staple source of carbohydrates for Nigerians, nutritious and come in many varieties. Read more about yam in one of my previous posts here.

Yams can be cooked in a lot of different ways and as dictated by the variety, some cooking methods suit specific varieties than others. Name it, yams can be boiled, roasted, dip fried, baked, pounded, added to soups, etc.

Yamarita is basically a fun yam dish made from egg washed yam pieces... It has become quite popular in most homes and served as a starter at parties and social events. Below is my take on this fun, snacky dish which has become so popularly in Lagos especially...! I have served with three different types of dips which in my opinion add a lot of taste value to the yam. Its an explosion of tastes and textures, savouriness and spiciness... Try it. Excellent served as finger foods, snacks and even at children's events.

Yamarita served with Nigerian bean hummus, avocado dip and ata dindin
What you need
  • Puna yam
  • Salt 
  • Suya spice
  • Ground black pepper
  • Coconut oil
  • Egg
Dips
Utensils:
  • Mandolin slicer
  • Round cookie cutter

Yamarita served with Nigerian bean hummus, avocado dip and ata dindin
What to do
  1. Peel the yam and rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of sand. Do not cut the yam, keep it whole. 
  2. Then using the mandolin slicer, run the whole yam tuber across the slicer to make thin, even slices. Then with a cookie cutter cut out perfect round yam discs. 
  3. Transfer the sliced yam into a bowl. Crack the egg into another bowl and whisk, adding a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. You may also add some sprinkling of suya spice to the whisked egg.
  4. Meanwhile, heat some coconut oil in a pot. 
  5. Dip the sliced yam into the whisked egg and drop into the hot oil to deep fry until golden brown. Remove the fried yam slices from the oil and place on some kitchen towel to remove excess oil.

To make the avocado dip
  1. Peel and de stone the avocado. Ensure the one you use is well ripened. 
  2. Cut the fruit into a bowl and add a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper. 
  3. Using a fork, mash up the fruit into a paste. Sprinkle finished dip with some good quality suya spice. 

Yamarita served with Nigerian bean hummus, avocado dip and ata dindin

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