I came across this recipe years ago in the northern parts of Nigeria, from a Hausa man by the roadside and l decided to try it out myself; fried yam coated with egg is commonly prepared along with fried Irish potatoes and suya by the roadside traders, which means that if you are to buy the fried yam or potatoes you will equally be attracted to buy the suya as well.
Yams in general can be used for making various kinds of food; it can be prepared as porridge yam, pounded yam, boiled yam to be eaten with tomato stew, vegetable sauce, palm oil, or groundnut oil. Better still, it is commonly served with fried egg, beans porridge, akara, custard, akamu (pap). Yam in particular has many nutrients and health benefits such as vitamin B1, B6, C, potassium, magnesium, manganese, fibre and iron. It can be used as a substitute to potatoes or cocoyam.
Yamarita is a native word used to describe the outcome of this dish which means thinly sliced cooked yams coated with egg whisk and sieved flour and then fried in oil. Irish potatoes, cocoyam or sweet potatoes can be prepared in the same manner and the same outcome would be achieved. This golden staple can be eaten just the way it is or with stew, egg sauce or, ketchup,vegetable sauce.
There are two methods of making toasted yam with egg which are
- Frying the chunks of yam after slicing it in oil or
- Cooking of the yams first (parboiling) before frying it.
Todays write up is not just about the usual fried yam chips that is commonly done by many, but cooked yams coated with egg and flour which is also called toasted egg yam or dun dun. The advantage of deepening or coating the yams with egg and flour is to keep the yam soft and tender, because cooked yams have the tendency of becoming hard in time. This particular recipe may not really be crunchy as you might expect because the yams are already cooked before frying and the yams are in thick chunks but will definitely be crispy only that you would have to fry them a bit longer than the usual yam youve been frying. For me, I have tried out this recipe in different ways; first, I have prepared it by using just egg whisk and have tried it with both egg whisked and flour and both methods tasted great to me and also, I have made it by mixing the eggs and flour together to form a light runny batter just the same way you would have mixed the flour for pancakes and it went well too; but in this case, the batter should be a bit thicker to enable it stick to the yams.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for preparing yam coated with egg (yamarita or dun dun)
- 1 Medium tuber of yam
- 2-3 Eggs
- 3Tablespoon plain flour, oat or wheat flour
- 1 Seasoning cube
- 1 Fresh pepper or chilli pepper
- 1 Medium onion divided into two
- 1Tsp curry powder
- A little salt to cook the yam and to season the egg whisk.
Steps on how to fry yams coated with egg
- Cut yam into rings depending on the quantity you want and peel of the skin.
- Slice into thick rectangular chunks and rinse them into a medium pot. Try to make the slices of the same sizes.
- Add water to slightly cover the yam, add salt to your taste and place the pot on heat and cover it to boil.
- Keep checking from time to time see if the yam is soft. They yams should be soft but not as soft as the ones you make for porridge.
- When it is soft, bring down from heat and drain the water completely and still close the pot back to conserve the hotness.
- Beat or whisk eggs into a bowl and half of the seasoning cube, pepper, half part of onion you have divided with a little salt and whisk all into the egg and keep this aside.
- Sieve the cup of flour into a different bowl,mix it into a paste, season with a little saltand keep aside
- Heat up oil in a fry pan or pot deep enough to fry the yams till it is very hot.
- while the oil is on the heat sauce, bring the boiled yam, using a fork or your hand, start by deepening or rolling them one by one, first in the egg wash and next into the sieved flour and allow the flour and egg to coat the yam completely then into the hot oil to fry. Or you can coat all of them first in the egg wash and in the flour and keep in a different bowl before frying, whichever one is best for you. Dont worry, if you are unable to pick much of the ingredients in the egg wash; you will still use it later after the yams are fried. Never over crowd the pan; the yams should be fried in batches, depending on the size of your frying pan, to enable the yam fry properly.
- When you notice the sides facing the pan turned golden, turn over the upper side downward till all the sides are completely fried and golden.
- When you are done frying the yams, remove into a metal sieve or paper towel to drain the oil completely.
- Finally reduce oil in the fry pan and fry the remaining egg wash or use it to make tomato egg sauce
- Serve as snacks with tea or juice.
Procedurefor making of Golden yam ( Egg-Coated fried yam) with Pictures
- Cut the yam into various rings and the peel off the back
Yam being cut into rings and then peeled
2. Further slice the peeled rings into rectangular shapes and rinse into a pot
Yam being sliced into rectangular shapes
3. Add water to slightly cover the yams with a litttle salt to taste, bring the yam to boil for about 15 minutes.
Sliced yams about to be cooked
4. Use fork to check if the yams are soft. dont let them get to soft because they may break down while you are trying to fry them.
Draining water from cooked yams
5. Drain the water from the yam when they aresoft and cover them to remain hot, till you are ready to use them.
6. Whisk two or more eggs, season with seasoning cube, curry powder, pepper, minced onions and salt.
7. Dissolve flour into a lightpaste and season with salt.
8. Heat up vegetable oil deep enough to fry the yam in two batches.
Yam being deepened in egg and flour
9. Roll the boiled yam inside the egg wash till it covers the yam, remove into the flour do same till all the yams are coated with both the flour and egg.
Sliced yams already depened in egg wash and flour batter
10. Start fryin the yams you have depened in egg and flour.
11. Fry each sides untilyou notice the bgolden, then turn to the next sides and do same. when you are done with all the yams, drain the excess oil out.
Fried yams about to be served
Yams coated with egg and flour being served with mixed vegetables egg sauce
12. When you done frying the yams, reduce the vegetable oil into a plate, fry the remaining egg wash and the flour batter or make some something like mixed vegetable egg sauce and serve the yam with the sauce .
Please Note: Yam head should not be included when you are making this recipe, because it tastes bitter and fibrous.
- New yams are usually filled with fluid, slimy when peeled and breaks into pieces very quickly when a little heat is applied to it. If you are using new yam for this recipe, you have to keep your eye on it, otherwise you can just use matured yam to save yourself from unnecessary challenge of new yam.
- For more hints on yam selection,see here