Nigeria is in the tropical zone and has an abundant supply for fruits and vegetables. The harvests of most fruits are dependent on the two prevalent seasons of the country. In the markets, on roadside stalls and even in traffic jams, you’ll find bananas, oranges, pineapples, paw-paw, grapes, pears, avocado, apples, guavas, mangoes and a host of other fruits you might not even recognize. These local fruits are season-dependent but when seen, shouldn’t be missed for it is extremely hard to find outside Africa.

African Star Apple

It is known by various names but the famous is Agbalumo among Yorubas and Udala among Igbos, while Americans call it African Star Apple. African Star Apple has an orange skin, a deep orange pulp and whitish seeds. It is sweet when taken ripe but is extremely tarty when unripe. You may find it during the Harmattan season, November- January.  

Ugbe Okpoko/Atili

Ube Okpoko (Igbo) or Atili  (Hausa) is small like an olive, and oilier than its counterpart, but also has a similar avocado pulp which is very oily. The oil in this fruit is extracted and used for cooking purposes; plantain cooked in atili oil is a delicacy in many parts of Nigeria. The flavor in the fruit skin is immense and can be sprinkled over rice and meat when crushed for seasoning. It is sold in tiny cellophane bags which contain about a dozen and it’s available during the rainy season. 

Velvet Tamarind

The black velvet tamarind is the fruit of a native West African. Velvet Tamarind is similar to the Indian sweet tamarind, but it is not as pulpy. The fruits are small, about a centimeter in diameter, and are sold as ‘bouquets’, or plucked from their stalks and packed into cellophane bags. The fruits have a black velvety shell, which is cracked open to reveal an orange pulp, this is sucked or chewed and the seed, in the centre, spat out. They are also taken as snacks or soaked in water to produce a kind of drink. The fruit is also called Icheku by the Igbos, Tsamiyar kurm by the Hausas, and Awin by the Yorubas.

Garden Eggs

Garden eggs, Anara to the Igbos and Igba to the Yorubas, are cousins to aubergines: small, green/yellow cousins. This fruit has a spongy, seedy flesh that is crunchy and slightly bitter. It is usually sold with a peanut paste (Ose Orji) which serves as a dip for the fruit.

Pepper Fruit

Pepperfruit, Mmimi *to Igbos and Ata Igberi *to *Yorubas, *is a pungent spicy fruit. The fruits are small and resemble dates in size. There are unripe versions which are crunchy and green in colour, while the red, ripe ones are sweet with soft, juicy flesh. The taste of this fruit is reminiscent of menthol and at the same time spicy like green chillies, it has a ‘citrusy’ feel as well. The fruit is enjoyed alone as a snack or in combination with garden eggs or served alongside fried beef or sausages.

Cashew Apple

The cashew apple is the last of the fruits we will be talking about. They are red, orange or yellow, fruits. It is an accessory fruit to which the grey-shelled cashew nut is attached to. This fruit is soft and has a juicy pulp. It has a sweet yet astringent taste, but care should be taken when consuming this delicious fruit, for its juice permanently stains clothing. Its skin is waxy which is due to a chemical called urushiol, which is also found on the skin of mangoes. This chemical may cause minor skin bumps at the corners of the lips, especially if the fruit is eaten warm. It is best enjoyed when cool.

I hope we’ve encouraged you to stop by the nearest fruit-seller and order something new. These fruits are rare and when in Nigeria, you may only have a once-in-a-lifetime chance of actually experiencing their flamboyant burst of flavor.

By Marina Vjetrovic