Savoring Aku: Nigeria’s Rainy Season Delicacy
From flight to flavourful treat.
Every other day Prasanna Srinath Subhasinghe shares a Sri Lankan folklore, animal, fruit, or vegetable. I do not want to say I am envious (okay, I am) but, here in Nigeria, we have our share of folklore, animals, fruits, and vegetables.
I mean, we cannot always binge on Sri Lanka goodies and so for a change of palate, I thought to share about the flying termite or Aku, as we call it in Igbo — my mother tongue.
During the early days of the rainy season, Aku starts flying around. In the morning, you wake up and the grounds are full of them. If you do not live on the ground floor, you can leave your electric bulbs or any light source on, and the light will attract them. Many will lose their wings, fall to the ground, and be there to be picked up.
As children, we will run about with our trays picking them up. Afterward, all the aku we gathered will be lightly washed with water, dried under the sun, and fried. Some people lightly salt it (which I prefer), and some don’t.
Some people like myself, do not mind eating Aku fresh. I’m not squeamish about the white inner crust of it that turns to a crunchy texture when fried and eaten.
There is also a corn delicacy (which I did not eat this year, sadly), that Aku is also used to prepare.
There isn’t any special lesson around Aku, our flying termites, but it is just such a crunchy delicious delicacy that reminds me so much of being a child, running around and trying to get as much of it as I can. If for nothing else to say to my mother — “Look at how much I gathered!”
Aku season is over for the year and I am already looking forward to it next year. I also bless the gods who give us such a termite to munch on.
Thank you for reading. Do you have Aku in your country?
