Description
A rich and savory Nigerian vegetable stew made with spinach, assorted meats, and a flavorful pepper base.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) assorted meat (beef, tripe, smoked turkey)
- 1 oz (30g) stockfish
- ½ cup smoked prawns or dried shrimp
- 1 seasoning cube (Maggi or Knorr)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 2–3 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1 medium onion
- ¼ cup (60ml) red palm oil
- 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 1 tablespoon iru (locust beans)
- 1 additional seasoning cube
- 1½ lbs (680g) fresh spinach
Instructions
- Cook the meat. Season assorted meat with ½ crumbled seasoning cube, black pepper, and salt. Add enough water to cover and boil for 25–30 minutes until tender. Add stockfish in the final 10 minutes. Reserve all cooking stock.
- Blend the pepper base. Roughly chop red bell peppers, scotch bonnets, and half the onion. Blend until a coarse, chunky purée forms. Set aside.
- Fry the pepper base. Heat palm oil in a pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add iru and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the blended pepper base and fry, stirring constantly, for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Season and add proteins. Add ground crayfish, remaining seasoning cube, and salt. Stir well. Add cooked assorted meat, stockfish, and smoked prawns. Pour in enough reserved stock to loosen the stew and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach. Add fresh spinach in handfuls, stirring to coat. Cook uncovered for 3–5 minutes until spinach wilts but retains its color.
- Taste and serve. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately over rice or with pounded yam, eba, or semolina.
Notes
Fry the pepper base for the full 15–20 minutes until the oil separates on the surface for authentic flavor. Add spinach last and cook briefly to retain its texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg