Last Saturday I did something I had never tried before: I went live on YouTube. I’d seen people encourage themselves to try new things, so I decided to take the plunge and cook garden egg sauce on a live stream.
A while back YouTube notified me that I could go live on the app, but I hadn’t used the feature—though I hoped to someday. Saturday felt like the perfect opportunity because:
1. I hadn’t published a video on Friday, so a live stream would be a fun way to make up for it.
2. A live broadcast makes things simpler: there’s no post-recording edit needed. Once the stream ended the video was already available for viewers. Win!
3. It’s always good to try something new. You never know what will work until you try.
We set a phone on a selfie stick and Mr. N recorded while I cooked and talked to the camera.
The live stream was surprisingly successful. I only announced it on my Facebook page about an hour before going live, yet within seconds I saw 13 viewers watching—what a thrill! I had told myself that if nobody tuned in I’d simply record and leave the video for later, but many more people joined than I expected. By the time I finished cooking we had nearly 200 views. That may not sound huge, but for a last-minute live session it felt fantastic. Next time I’ll announce the stream days ahead so more of my lovely viewers don’t miss it; many people who arrived after the stream ended were disappointed they’d missed it.
So what did I make? Garden egg sauce. In my very first vlog, where I showed shopping at a farmer’s market, I bought garden eggs and many viewers asked how I cook them—so sharing the recipe live seemed perfect.
Garden eggs are in the same family as eggplant (aubergine). They come in green or yellow varieties and are commonly cooked into a flavorful stew in countries like Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana. Growing up I didn’t enjoy garden egg sauce because it often tasted bitter to me. It was one of those dishes I considered “punishment food.”
When I developed my version I made sure to use plenty of tomatoes and ground crayfish, which transformed the sauce into something truly tasty—something I can enjoy and share.
Mr. N used to dislike garden egg too, but after tasting my version he changed his mind—he even says so in the video.
I couldn’t have done the live stream without Mr. N’s help. He was supportive throughout, adjusted the camera so viewers could see into the pot, and took the photos you see above. I’m very grateful.
There’s a full garden egg recipe on the blog with step-by-step photos. Below you’ll find the video and a printable version of the recipe.
Watch my very first YouTube LIVE video – How to make garden egg sauce:
Garden Egg Sauce
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Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 garden eggs
- 5 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup ground crayfish
- 1/2 cup dried anchovies (or other dried/smoked fish)
- 1 cup dried shrimp (or other dried/smoked fish)
- 1 large Maggi Crevette (crayfish seasoning cube) (or bouillon powder)
- 1 habanero pepper (optional)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup oil (I used 1/4 cup red palm oil + 1/2 cup soybean oil)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
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Wash the garden eggs thoroughly and place them in a pot. Add enough water to reach the same level as the vegetables and boil until soft and squishy.
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Drain the hot water, then rinse the garden eggs with cold water to cool them quickly.
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When cool, peel off the skins and either mash the garden eggs lightly in a bowl or chop them into roughly 1-inch pieces for a chunkier sauce.
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Heat the oil in a pot over high heat and sauté the chopped onion for about two minutes.
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Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until their acidity is gone, stirring occasionally—about 10 minutes.
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Stir in the ground crayfish and let it sizzle with the tomatoes for about two minutes.
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Add the pepper (if using), anchovies and dried shrimp (or your preferred dried/smoked fish) and cook for about three minutes in the tomato sauce. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a little water to loosen it.
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Add the Maggi crayfish seasoning cube and salt to taste, then fold in the mashed or chopped garden eggs. Stir to combine and let everything sizzle together for about four minutes, then turn off the heat.
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Serve warm with boiled plantains, African yam, or potatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Additional Info
Fun fact: In Cameroon the anchovies commonly used for garden egg sauce are locally called “njanja moto.”
If you make this recipe, please share a photo on Instagram and tag @preciouscore or post a photo on my Facebook page. I’d love to see it!