Recipe courtesy of Ozoz Sokoh popularly known as the ‘Kitchen Butterfly’ is an Exploration geologist who loves loves food, writing and photography in equal part. She considers herself a ‘Traveller by lens and plate’.

The Cassava and Coconut Salad is a clean, fresh salad re-imagined from popular Nigerian street food. Freshened with herbs, chilies, seeds and nuts.

If you can’t find cassava, you can substitute with unripe/ green papaya (pawpaw) or mango. They both work well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups tapioca/ shredded cassava

2 cups coconut, fresh & grated

2 – 3 spring onions, chopped – green & white parts

1 – 2 red & green chilies, sliced/ chopped

Handful herbs – scent leaves, cilantro, mint; chopped

Zest & juice of 1 -2 limes

2 – 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Salt, to taste

To serve

Toasted, crushed peanuts

Flaked, smoked mackerel

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients, save for the toppings of peanut and mackerel

Toss well

Check for seasoning – salt, lime and adjust to taste

Serve, topped with peanuts and fish or other toppings

Enjoy

Notes

I love it at room temperature but it also works well cold

I think the sesame seeds are essential for the nuttiness they bring to the salad