An introduction to beloved and trending Nigerian cooking for home chefs, food lovers, and Nigerians, who are the largest African immigrant group in the United States.

In Nigeria, the word “chop” is all about food and feasting and “chop chop” a nickname given to someone who loves to eat. And it's no surprise Nigeria has an entire vernacular dedicated to eating—with more than 50 nationally recognized languages and 250 ethnicities, Nigeria's food is as rich and diverse as its people. Think smoky spicy beef suya skewers, egusi stew rich with wild greens, restorative pepper soup, jollof rice studded with tomatoes, soft puff puff dough bites fried until golden, and sweet-tart hibiscus drinks. With ingredients that include nuts and seeds, greens, grains, and cereals (especially in the north), roots and tubers (favorites of the south), and affordable proteins, they come together on the plate in the form of hearty soups and stews, steamed puddings, salads, rice dishes, fritters, and more. Despite the foodway's incredibly flavorful complexity, its recipes have never been gathered in one place. Until now. Author, culinary anthropologist, and Nigerian native Ozoz Sokoh celebrates classic and traditional Nigerian cuisine, through the lens of the home cooks with explanations to underscore the ingredients, flavors, and textures that make it not only beloved but delicious. With headnotes that give cultural and historical context, illuminating sidebars, ingredient profiles, and stunning photographs, ChopChop will bring Nigeria's food-loving spirit to home kitchens everywhere.

Ozoz Sokoh's profile page

Ozoz Sokoh is a Nigerian food writer and educator. A geologist by training, she began documenting her food journey on her blog Kitchen Butterfly in 2009. Central to her work is connectedness through food, food sovereignty, cultural identity, reclamation of food systems, and the joy of eating. Her research and documentation explore the roots of Nigerian and West African cuisine, the impact of West African intellectual contributions to global development from the American South, through the Caribbean to Europe, Central and South Americas, and the connection to the Afro-diaspora.

Sokoh has spoken at TEDx and at conferences hosted by the Culinary Institute of America. Her work has been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Gastro Obscura, CNN African Voices, Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, among others.

She is a professor of Food and Tourism Studies at Centennial College, Ontario-Canada, where she teaches a variety of courses including Exploration of Foodways. She makes her home with her three teenage children in Mississauga, part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Find her online @KitchenButterfly.