How to make Ikokore?

Month end blues, chop money is dwindling, cant afford fancy restaurant meals, this is when  Nigerians say ‘ month don pregnant’ ( the month is pregnant) .. What exactly does this mean???. Well we are talking about rustling up simple and cheap meals when you are low on funds. I did not realize that water yams come quite cheap . I bought a piece for 200 Naira equivalent of 1 USD at one of those Sunday markets in Lagos.  I used just one quarter and the meal was enough for 4 small portion adult eaters. I hear some say ‘this one no fit belleful me ooh’ . Well it will be enough for 2 heavy eaters.
Water yam is not quite interesting when boiled to be eaten with soup except when its very mature and almost going out of season, then its texture is close to regular yam. Most of the meals are made from the grated version like ojojo which is fried. Now I challenge my self to do something more creative and interesting with water yam. Let’s  see what I come up with.
Besides the process of grating nothing else about this dish that will test your cooking ability.
By the way the Ijebus from Ogun State pride themselves with this dish Ikokore, the Efiks have a similar dish , Oto Oto comes without the oil and I hated it as a child. It still reminds me of bouts of malaria. It is interesting though for women that have just put to bed when the taste buds are not particularly liking oily stuff.Ikokore on the other hand is cooked with palm oil and reminds me of my favourite dish Ekpang Nkukwo
Go ahead try this simple, cheap but very tasty dish.. Ikokore

Recipe for making Ikokore

 
Ingredients
1/4 medium size Water Yam
16 pieces of Beef ( small chunks)
1 cup pieces smoked Fish
1/2 cup smoked Prawns ( dressed)
11/2 cooking spoons Palm Oil
1 table spoon chopped Effirin
Dried Pepper to taste
Seasoning to taste
Salt to taste

Method
1, Peel, wash and grate the water yam, add a little salt and mix
2, Season and steam the meat with onion, pepper, salt and beef seasoning
3, When meat is cooked add the smoked fish, prawns and correct seasoning,  some more water and cook for about 3 minutes.
4, Add the oil and cook for 5 minutes.
5, Using you hand drop the water yam  paste in small ball into the pot. Make sure to leave space between the balls to give enough room for the stock to boil up and cook the water yam
6, Reduce the flame to very low to allow the water yam  balls cook through. Do not stir immediately . If need be rock or shake the pot to free the water yam to cook. When cooked the balls are translucent  And the sauce thickens. Takes about 15 minutes to cook though.
7, When the balls are set on the out side you may use a wooden spoon to stir the pottage avoiding to squash the balls.
8, Taste for salt , add the Effirin , cook for 2 minutes and your pottage is ready