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Ofada stew is a very popular delicacy originating from the Yoruba Tribe in western Nigeria. A delicious stew rich in assorted meats and with a super unique flavor.
According to what I’ve been told, this stew is the real deal from Ofada. I used to think my favorite green bell pepper stew, also known as ayamase stew or designer stew, was Ofada stew, but it appears that I was mistaken for a long time? I even thought it was also similar to the Buka stew. Hmmm, it seems like we learn something new every day.
Difference Between the Buka Stew And Ofada Stew
Buka Stew has some tomatoes in the mix though the ratio of the red bell peppers to the tomatoes is usually higher. On the other hand, the Ofada Stew is made with Red peppers (red bell peppers, red chili peppers).
Difference Between the Ayamase Stew And Ofada Stew
The only difference between these two delightful delicacies is the choice of bell peppers used. The Ayamase stew is made with green peppers which include green bell peppers green chili peppers etc. The real Ofada stew is made with the red pepper varieties; Red bell peppers, red chili peppers.
Since the major difference is in the color of peppers used. My Ayamase stew recipe can easily be swapped to make this Ofada stew which is exactly what I did. Swapped the green peppers in that recipe for red bell peppers with a little added twist in the Ofada recipe pepper flakes. It worked like a charm and was de-li-cious of course ??
How To Make Ofada Stew
Ofada stew is easy to make. So don’t fret. If this is your first time making any of the Nigerian stews that require bleaching the palm oil, I suggest you read this post on Tips for Bleaching Red Palm Oil Like an Expert.
I always bleach my palm oil ahead of time because it saves me time. It ok if you don’t have some bleached palm oil. Simply follow the steps below to bleach your palm oil safely.
- Pour a good quality palm oil in a clean, dry pot (I prefer stainless steel)
- Cover pot, turn on heat to medium and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the palm oil becomes transparent and no longer red.
- Let oil cool completely before opening the pot. Use immediately or store for later.
To make ofada stew, you can take care of your bell peppers in any of the three ways I would be listing below.
1. Wash and blend peppers and use immediately by frying in the oil till all moisture is absorbed
2. Wash and blend peppers then cook it down till water content reduces before frying
3. Wash and roast peppers in the oven then Blend and use ( my preferred method.)
What Kind Of Meat Can I Use For Ofada Stew?
Ofada stew is usually made with a mix of meats. That’s what assorted meats mean. Beef, cow skin, honey comb tripe, cow feet etc. A mix of these meats would be perfect. You can also use just one type of meat if you prefer.
How To Make Vegan Ofada Stew
- Easy peasy. Swap out the meats for tofu or any other vegan meat substitute.
- Leave out the eggs.
- Swap out the meat stock for vegetable stock or water.
What To Eat With Ofada Stew
Ofada stew is typically served with ofada rice which is a short grain rice locally grown in Nigeria. Because it is unpolished it is healthier and richer in fiber than the regular parboiled rice. This rice is served along side this delicious ofada stew on a plate of leaves aka banana leaves.
Ofada stew can be enjoyed with any other rice of your choice and can also be served with boiled or fried yams, fried plantains or potatoes.
Tips To Get Your Ofada Stew Ready In Less Time
- I precook and fry the meats a day before or up to a week before and store in the refrigerator or freezer
- I freeze my meat stock.
- I always roast and blend OR blend and dehydrate my pepper mix and freeze ahead of time.
- I bleach the palm oil ahead as well
- The day before I make my stew, I thaw my frozen ingredients in the refrigerator overnight on on the counter. That way its ready for me when I want to cook.
Storage
This stew can stay frozen for up to 3 months. To store, let stew cool completely then transfer cooked stew into freezer friendly bowls and freeze. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then warm up in the microwave or on the stovetop.
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Ofada Stew Recipe
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
The peppers
- 10 Red bell peppers tatase
- 2 red chili peppers Shombo
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 habanero pepper
- ¼ cup red pepper flakes optional
The meats
- 200 g honey comb tripe
- 500 g Beef
- 100 g cow skin
- 150 g cow foot
Other ingredients
- 2 cups bleached palm oil
- 3 cups Beef stock
- 1 Tbsp Bouillon powder (add more to taste)
- 7 hard boiled eggs
- ¼ cup iru (Locust beans)
- 2 Tbsp ground crayfish
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
- Clean and deseed the red bell peppers. Blend with one onion and red chili peppers if using. Use as little water as you can manage without over working your blender. Then set aside.
- Pour palm oil in a sauce pan with a lid. Bleach palm oil for 7 minutes in the covered pot. Leave pot covered for at least 20 mins before opening to allow the oil cool down completely.
- Saute onions in the bleached oil then add the iru. Pour in the puréed peppers fry for 5 mins then add in the meat stock , Bouillon powder and the Crayfish
- Cook till the sauce thickens, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Finally add the precooked and fried assorted meats, stir and taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly.
- Lower heat and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes then turn heat off.
- Add boiled eggs to the sauce.
- Serve over rice
Notes
Nutrition
