Florence Uwaeme
The people of Rivers state are not just blessed with natural resources, they also boast of a rich cultural heritage. The Rivers people are known for their show of hospitality to visitors.
This show of hospitality is not limited to sights alone, their indigenous cuisines make your stay memorable.
If you intend visiting The Garden City of Port Harcourt, there are foods you should ensure you try for your stay to be said to be memorable.
During your visit to The Garden City, ensure to taste the Port Harcourt Bole. The Port Harcourt Bole is life-giving, spirit soothing and has the ability to send one on an orgasmic journey. The Port Harcourt Bole is the best Bole you can get anywhere in the world. Well, what do you expect when the first ever Bole that was made was made right in the City of Port Harcourt?
Bole is a combination of roasted yam eaten with roasted fish and peppered stew sauce with a lot of red oil. For a better taste, ensure you devour the Bole with your natural cutlery (your fingers). Lol
Another food you should try is the Onunu. Onunu is a type of swallow that is popular amongst the indigenous people of Kalabari. It is made by pounding ripe boiled plantain and yam together with red oil. This can be eaten with fresh fish pepper soup.
There is no way you will visit Port Harcourt and not be treated to a Fisherman soup. This soup is said to have gotten its name long ago because it was the soup most fishermen prepared after a day’s catch. This soup contains almost all kinds of seafood you can think of. From shrimp, periwinkle, crayfish, fresh fish, snail, etc. You can actually ask to be served Onunu with the Fisherman’s soup.
Rivers Native soup is one of the most popular soups in Rivers state. It is said that it is one of the most expensive of soups in Port Harcourt. Just like every soup in Rivers state, there is an abundance of everything seafood in this soup. Some people have argued that it is almost the same thing with the fisherman’s soup except for the soup thickener (Ofor or Achi) and beef added.
The last on my list is actually for the brave and adventurous in heart. Ndu-wiri or Otugwa wuri (in the Wezina dialect) is famous amongst the Ikwerre people of Rivers state. This food is a combination of eba or fufu eaten with fried or smoked fish/meat. Make no mistake, I didn’t forget to add soup because there is no soup. Just eba and fish only. this sure requires a lot of water.
While you are here on that business or leisure visit, endeavour to try any of the listed cuisines.
