Ofada stew recipe(how to make Nigeria ofada stew)

2022-06-21

3602

Ofada stew is a local stew that originated in western Nigeria. The stew is prepared using green scotch bonnet peppers(Ata rodo) and other local ingredients like locust beans(iru) and palm oil. These local ingredients give it a unique flavour and taste.

This special stew is commonly eaten with local rice called Ofada rice and is usually a hit when served at Nigerian parties or for lunch/dinner. I cannot forget the first time I made this stew I thought I would never be able to get the exact taste but it turned out great. Ofada stew is usually very spicy because of the pepper but I recommend using tomatoes to make it less spicy.

Ofada stew ingredients

Green scotch bonnet peppers(Ata rodo)
3 large red bell peppers
2tbsp Iru(fermented locust beans)
½cup palm oil
2 medium onions
2tbsp crayfish (optional)
Ponmo (chopped)
Hard-boiled eggs (optional)
Assorted meat of your choice(Chopped)
3 large tomatoes (optional)
1 smoked fish
Seasoning cubes
Salt to taste

Preparation

Wash peppers, tomatoes and onions and cut them into chunks for blending. Put into the blender with a little amount of water for easy blending.

Pour the blended pepper into the pot and allow it to boil until the water evaporates.

While waiting, wash your meat and cut it into chunks. Season and cook till it becomes tender. You can also fry your meat but it’s optional.

Boil and peel your eggs if using any.

Wash and rinse iru(locust beans) thoroughly and set aside.

Bleaching the oil.

Bleaching the oil can be risky sometimes due to the smoke. So make sure that the kitchen windows are open for proper ventilation and please handle them with care especially if you’re taking the pot outside for faster cooling. This is to avoid splashes and burns. Make sure you bleach till palm oil loses the red colour and becomes more like a honey brown colour.

Although it is not considered healthy it goes best for this recipe and gives it a unique taste. Not bleaching the oil gives it a different taste. It depends on your preference but if you’re bleaching, make sure that the heat is turned low.

Cooking ofada stew

Place the pot on medium heat then add palm oil and cover the pot. Allow to bleach till the colour becomes honey-brown. This might take about 5-10minutes.
Then leave to cool for 5 minutes before opening the pot cover. Turn on the heat back and allow it to hit up again but this time, it shouldn’t be smoking hot.
Pour your chopped onions and fry along with iru(fermented locust beans) for 2 minutes.
Pour in the blended mix, stir, cover and allow to cook for about 5 minutes at this point you would notice the oil floating on top.
Add meat stock, season and taste. Add salt if need be.
Add your cooked meat and hard-boiled eggs.
Stir, cover and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes then turn off the heat and serve with ofada rice(brown local rice), yam, or white rice sometimes I enjoy eating with boiled spaghetti.