CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, berry, bud or vegetable substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are parts of leafy green plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Many spices have antimicrobial properties. This may explain why spices are more commonly used in warmer climates, which have more infectious disease, and why the use of spices is prominent in meat, which is particularly susceptible to spoiling. A spice may have other uses, including medicinal, religious ritual, cosmetics or perfume production, or as a vegetable.

Cinnamon (/ˈsɪnəmən/ sin-ə-mən) isa spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum that is used in both sweet and savoury foods. While Cinnamomumverum is sometimes considered to be "true cinnamon", most cinnamon in international commerce is derived from related species, which are also referred to as "cassia" to distinguish them from "true cinnamon".

Cinnamon is the name for perhaps a dozen species of trees and the commercial spice products that some of them produce. All are members of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae. Only a few of them are grown commercially for spice.

Akara is a deep fried Nigerian Snack and breakfast meal made with ground de-hulled(peeled) brown or black-eyed beans and spices. It is a very popular snack that can be eaten anytime of the day. Although Akara is popular as a breakfast meal, it can also be eaten as a snack or taken with Pap(ogi), custard or Agidi(eko) as a light dinner Akara is also known as Acarajé, Fried Bean Cakes, Koose or Fried Bean Balls. There are several varieties, but the Nigerian Akara is usually made with peeled blended beans and spices and then deep fried in vegetable oil. Palm oil can also be used for frying Nigerian Akara.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The researcher noticed that most of the Nigerian breakfast this days are all adopted meal no one cares for our indigenous meals anymore, English and French foods seems to have taken the peoples mind, the researcher also noted that areas where indigenous meals are taken as breakfast or others are within the boor masses or in villages, therefore, the researcher embarked on this study to highlight the need for the utilization of specials species for indigenous meals (breakfast). The local dish known as Akara, a meal made from the beans family with other species has not yet been known and regarded as a one among the best breakfast as regarded to some the English and French dishes, and this is because they have not been able to create the awareness of the dish and the nitric value and its contains.

1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work covers only the preparation of the local dish Akarawith all its recipes and Cinnamon (Dalchini) spices.

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The focal objective of this research work is to prepare local dish Akara with the use of spices. The following ideas are more specified objectives of the study

• To develop and standardize the recipes used in Akara Dish

• To popularize our indigenous meals

• To highlight the use of spices on our dishes

1.5 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

The important aspect of this research work is it’s significant to the economy, by which, at the end of this research work, the researcher want to establish standard method of utilizing local spices in preparing indigenous meal/breakfast.

Also, this research work will serve as learning tools within the academic field to both student and staffs or other researcher.

1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In writing the study the writer was constrained by a number of factors prominent among includes:

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS: Under this limitation the researcher could not due to financial handicap attain the desired scope and depth expected. And the problems encounter by the researcher is high cost of material which militated against the project work occupied with high cost of transportation which presented the researcher from visiting other branches of the industry together much needed data.

The constraints although time should not be considered as a constraint cognizance must be given to the fact that academic work which was also undertaken by the researcher by which lectures and office duties could be seen to have limited the research to in-depth study.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

SPICE: A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, berry, bud or vegetable substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food.

BREAKFAST: Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work.

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