I like to think of Nigeria (and Africa in general) as a syncretic place—we have a capacity for cosmopolitanism in our food and foodways; we’re not just victims of history and circumstance. For us, seasonality is not just about the seasons, it’s also about the celebrations we have, like eating ram during Eid or jollof rice during holidays; it’s an idea that’s better framed around customs as opposed to just seasonal produce or climate source. 

This recipe came about for a project I did about death with Yes We Cannibal, an art collective in Baton Rouge. The original dish uses purslane, which I substituted here for fiddleheads, as they are emblematic of spring. The daikon is braised in Malta Goya, a sweet malty beverage that has the same look as stout and which I drunk as a kid at parties in Nigeria at parties to imitate adults drinking Guinness. Here it adds richness to the dish.

Daikon Braised in Malta Goya
with Fiddlehead and Mushroom Purees: 

Serves 6

6 cups (about 1 pound/450g) diced onions
3/4 cup (175ml) coconut oil  
8 ounces (225g) cremini mushrooms
5 ounces (150g) iru (or nutritional yeast)¹
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup (120 ml) olive oil 
8 ounces (225g) fiddleheads 
12 garlic cloves (6 diced and 6 whole)
Salt and pepper
1 pound (450g) daikon (or spring vegetable substitute), sliced into medallions
1 teaspoon coriander
2 (12-ounce) bottles Malta Goya