Be honest: what kind of Nigerian cook are you?

The kind who can cook jollof rice without measuring anything?

The kind who calls Mama immediately when the soup isn't looking right?

Or the kind who opens the pot every five minutes because "let me just check something"?

Nigerian kitchens have personalities. Some cooks are precise. Some are adventurous. Some trust their instincts completely. And some will add "just one more seasoning" until the pot becomes a family secret.

So, let's find out what kind of cook you really are.

Answer these seven questions honestly. No cheating. Your pot knows the truth.

1. You are cooking jollof rice and it tastes… okay. What do you do?

A. Leave it alone. It will come together.

B. Add more seasoning.

C. Add a little butter, taste again and adjust.

D. Call someone: "Abeg, come and taste this thing."

What this tells us:

If you picked A, you're the Trust-the-Process Cook. You have faith in your pot.

B? You're the Seasoning Enthusiast. If salt can fix it, you believe more seasoning can fix it too.

C? You're the Fine-Tuner. You know that sometimes the difference between ordinary and unforgettable is one small adjustment.

D? You're the Kitchen Committee Cook. Nobody is making a major food decision alone in your kitchen.

2. When a recipe says "add seasoning to taste," what does that mean to you?

A. Exactly what it says. I taste as I go.

B. I already know how much I need.

C. I add a little, taste, then add a little more.

D. "Seasoning to taste? Who has time for that?"

This question separates the cooks who follow recipes from the cooks who have been cooking by ancestral instinct since secondary school.

Some people need measurements. Others can look at a pot of stew and say:

"Something is missing."

And somehow, they're right.

3. You are making soup for guests and the soup isn't thick enough. What is your first thought?

A. Add more of the thickener.

B. Reduce it and let it cook longer.

C. Panic.

D. Nobody will notice.

If you picked C, we're not judging you.

Nigerian cooking comes with pressure, especially when somebody has already announced:

"People are coming."

Suddenly, that pot of soup is no longer just food. It's a public examination.

4. What happens when someone enters your kitchen while you're cooking?

A. "Please leave. I'm concentrating."

B. "Taste this for me."

C. "Can you chop these onions?"

D. "You can sit down. Food will soon be ready."

This tells us whether you're a Kitchen Boss, Taste Tester, Sous Chef Recruiter or Hospitality Specialist.

And let's be honest, Nigerian cooking rarely happens without somebody being asked to:

• peel something,

• wash something,

• taste something,

• fetch something,

• or answer the question, "Have you seen my wooden spoon?"

5. You have leftovers from yesterday. What do you do?

A. Reheat them exactly as they are.

B. Transform them into something completely different.

C. Eat them for breakfast.

D. Freeze them and forget about them.

If you chose B, you understand one of the greatest skills in Nigerian cooking:

Never underestimate leftovers.

Yesterday's rice can become fried rice.

Yesterday's stew can become the base for another meal.

Leftover meat can become filling, and sometimes, the "experimental" meal you make because there isn't enough food in the fridge ends up being better than the original.

6. How many seasonings are currently in your kitchen?

A. Just the basics.

B. Enough to survive anything.

C. I have seasonings I haven't even opened yet.

D. Don't ask questions you aren't ready to hear the answer to.

If your kitchen has enough spices to open a small shop, welcome.

You are officially a Seasoning Collector.

 But having plenty of spices isn't the same as knowing how to use them.

The real magic happens when the right seasoning meets the right dish.

7. Finally: Someone tastes your food and says, "Wow! What did you put in this?"

What do you say?

A. "Nothing special."

B. "It's a family recipe."

C. "I can't tell you."

D. "Honestly? I just kept tasting and adjusting."

And this might be the most Nigerian cook question of all.

Because every good cook has that one moment when someone takes a bite, pauses, looks at them and asks:

"What did you put in this?"

That's when you know you've done something right.

So, What Kind of Cook Are You?

The Instinctive Cook

You don't need a measuring cup. Your eyes, nose and tongue are your kitchen equipment.

The Seasoning Specialist

You know that good ingredients need good seasoning. You are not afraid to build flavour.

The Recipe Follower

You like structure, measurements and instructions. And honestly? Your food rarely disappoints.

The Kitchen Experimenter

You see a recipe as a suggestion, not a law. You will substitute ingredients, try new combinations and somehow make it work.

The "Ask Mama" Cook

Before Google, before YouTube and definitely before ChatGPT, there is Mama.

You trust the people who have been cooking these meals for years.

The Leftover Genius

Give you yesterday's food and five ingredients and you'll create something nobody expected.

But Here's the Secret About Great Nigerian Cooking...

It isn't always about having the longest recipe or the most expensive ingredients or having twenty pots in your kitchen.

Sometimes, it's about knowing how to build flavour. That's where Flourish Spices & African Food comes in.

From everyday Nigerian meals to the dishes you bring out when guests are coming, the right spices can make cooking easier while helping you build the rich, familiar flavours you love. Explore Flourish Spices & African Food, discover flavour-packed ingredients for your kitchen, and bring a little more excitement to your next pot.