OFADA STEW DESIGNED MY MOI...

The very first time i tasted Ofada Stew was at a wedding back when i still lived in Lagos and i loved it! Didn't care much for the ofada rice but i loved the spicy palm oil stew and attempted it at home the next day. It was a disaster (my friend Enoh i'm sure still laughs about what a mess it was). Well i picked myself up and tried again and again and i can say i've mastered it - in your face girl!

Though i've heard of various methods, this works for me perfectly.

3 Green peppers (de-seeded)
6 Large tatashe (de-seeded) or red bell peppers
3 Medium tomatoes
1 Onion
Garlic
Ginger
Assorted meat washed and chopped into small pieces
Palm oil (about half a cup)
1 Tablespoon locust beans (iru)
2 Seasoning cubes
Salt and pepper

Spice your meat with salt, pepper, 1 seasoning cube, garlic and ginger and set aside

Pour your oil in a pot and turn on the heat...and while you're at it open up all windows and doors that you can 'cos it's going to get very smoky, very fast. "Bleach" your oil for about 5 - 7 minutes (the bleaching actually adds flavour to the oil.

Carefully add your meat, you might want to put the pot down on the floor to avoid the oil catching on fire and please be careful. Put it back on the heat and leave the pot uncovered for 10 minutes. If you are using shaki (tripe), boil it separately first with little water for about 15 minutes to soften it as it is usually tough and takes a longer time to cook.

While the meat cooks in the oil, add your peppers, tomatoes and onions into a blender and "blitz" it (i don't like mine completely blended smooth) with as little water as possible.

Add your blended ingredients and a tablespoon of locust beans (iru/dawadawa), stir and allow to keep cooking on high heat with the pot uncovered. At this point it will look like any other stew but fret not because after about 30 minutes it will thicken up and you will find your oil coming to the surface again, frying the stew.

Drain any excess oil and serve with rice or even white boiled yam..

:)