Among the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria, the meal revolves around a thick, rich soup (ofe) accompanied by a neutral starch shaped into a ball — the 'swallow' (akpu/cassava fufu, pounded yam, garri) — which you dip and swallow without chewing. Around this core gravitate the market snacks (okpa, abacha) sold to students and passersby, and refreshing ruby-red drinks. In Nsukka, a university town in Enugu, this table feeds both families and lecture halls.

Unrefined palm oil, deep orange in color, is the mother fat of Igbo cuisine. It binds egusi, browns okpa, coats abacha. Its color and slightly smoky scent mark almost every dish from Francisca Okeke's region.