We are thrilled to bring you a wonderful dish from rising star in African cuisine, Lope Ariyo’s debut cookbook, Hibiscus.
Packed full of delicious fusions of West African flavours with a modern twist, the satisfyingly sumptuous cookbook is visually appealing with bright bold illustrations of the many recipes on offer.
The recipe we are sharing is one of our favourites in the book; Hibiscus and Sumac Prawns. Speaking about the recipe, Lope said: “My friend Tokunbo makes the best suya prawns you could ever imagine, but not wanting to include too many suya recipes, I used hibiscus and sumac for my version. Sumac is used more in North Africa than West Africa but the flavour of it pairs so well with hibiscus as they both have zesty undertones.”
Hibiscus and Sumac Prawns
Ingredients
2 tbsp coconut oil melted, plus extra for frying
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp crushed chilli flakes
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp fine-cut dried hibiscus petals
1 tbsp sumac
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 Shallot, finely sliced
500g raw king prawns
Salt and black pepper
Method
In a small bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, lemon juice, chilli flakes, onion granules, ginger, coriander, hibiscus, sumac and tarragon to form a marinade for the prawns. Add salt and pepper to taste, then coat the prawns evenly with the hibiscus and sumac mix.
Melt the extra coconut oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the shallot. Fry for roughly three minutes until the shallots start to soften. Shake any excess marinade from the prawns before adding to the pan. Cook for roughly four minutes, stirring constantly, until cooked through.
Plate the prawns and serve immediately.
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Buy Hibiscus cookbook
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