Palm Nut Stew (Ofe Akwu)

I like to make this stew for Sunday lunch this is because it takes quite some time to make. So I reserve it for Sunday afternoons when I have that much time to cook. Though the only time consuming part is actually preparing the palm nut to extract the sauce but this can be avoided if using the palm sauce that comes in a can which can be gotten from most market within Lagos or any African shop. I love to make this stew with dried fish or dried shrimps which gives me little bite size bits to chew on with every bite. Any type of meat or fish can be used but I prefer beef with tripe which I think makes a more delicious stew.This recipe can be adjusted to suit your palate.

Ingredients
2 Kg Palm Nut Fruit or 1 can of the palm nut sauce
500g Beef
500g Tripe
1 large onions
1 cup shredded basil leaves or mint leaves
pepper to taste
Opeyi this is a seasoning make from locust beans(optional)
dry crayfish
dried fish or dried shrimp
salt to taste
beef seasoning

The beef and tripe should be cut up and boiled with about 1.5 liters of water seasoned with a few slices of onions add a tsp of salt and two cubes of beef seasoning.

In another pot bring the palm nut to a briskly boil. Once it starts to boil allow it to boil for another 15 minutes to make it very tender.

The actual bulk of the work lies at this stage once the palm nut are boiled drain in a colander and put into a mortar and pound. The pounding should be done so that the husk are pulled away from the nuts but not strong enough to crack the nuts. I have actually seen some people do this extracting with their palms without having to pound. This is achieved by allowing the nuts to cool down a bit so as to be handled by hand. The nuts are gently squeezed to remove the husk from the nut when all are remove then the husk can be bashed with a meat mallet. But if you can get your hands on a can of palm nut sauce use it, you would only be missing a great chance of burning some calorie from pounding the palm nuts.

Use the beef stock derived from the boiled beef pour it into the pounded nut and give it a good swirl drain in a colander placed over a pot the resulting sauce in the pot is the base for this dish. If using a canned sauce scoop this into the boiled beef and stock.

Bring the palm nut to a boil care should be taken so that the sauce is not too watery the thicker it is the better. Add the dried shrimps or dried fish which has been washed and broken into bite size let it boil for about 5 minutes then add the the onions, crayfish, opeyi and pepper all blender up together. I usually blend the first three before adding the pepper it more appealing and colourful seeing bits of pepper.I love blended onions in my dishes I think once an onion is blender it adds more sweetness and aroma to a dish.

Allow this to cook for another ten minutes then finally add the basil. I tried mints leaves once when I couldn't get fragrant basil which is locally called scent leave the mints added a new dimension to the dish though it wasn't bad but the basil are better. Add salt to taste and cube seasoning let it boil for another 3 minutes.

Serve with boiled white rice.

Isi Ewu

1 Goat head
1 medium Red Onion
2 Bouillon cubes
1 tsp dry thyme

SAUCE
½ tsp Uziza Seed, grinded
½ tsp Ehuru seed, grinded
1 tbsp Uziza Leaves, Shredded
1 tsp Fresh Pepper, grinded (add according to preference)
1/8 cup Palm Oil
2 tbsp Onions, chopped
Salt (to taste)
1 tsp Potash
1 Bouillon cubes

Garnish
Utazi leaves
Red onions rings


Isi Ewu is a delicacy enjoyed across Nigeria but it originates from the Igbo speaking states. It is usually sold at local bars and is paired with a cold bottle of beer, men with pot belly are often teased that their pouch houses plates of Isi Ewu.

I enjoy this occasionally since it is a highly caloric dense food. People on a low carb diet would find this a great addition to their meal plan. The thick sauce that the meat is stirred into is sweet and sharply contrasts with the bitterness of the utazi leave. Though the utazi leave can be left out. The meal is garnished with thick slices of red onions to maximise the sweetness of the food.

I find it easier to boil the goat head whole then carve it rather than try to cut it before boiling trust me it is easier to boil it whole. In restaurant the ears, eyes and tongue are removed whole  and served separately while all the remaining parts are cut up into tiny bits. I prefer to cut up everything and serve so that I can’t differentiate any parts it more appealing.

The sauce is quite simple to make simply grind the potash into a fine powdery state and mix with ¼ cup of water stir and sieve , the liquid will be used for the sauce. Pour the palm oil in a hot pot add the potash water immediately do not allow the oil to heat up add the onions and cook for about two minutes. Add the first four ingredients for the sauce cook this for about three minutes. Season the food with salt according to taste add the bouillon seasoning and cook for an additional two minutes. After this add the goat meat and cook for a further five minutes which will enable the meat to soak up the goodness of the sauce.

It is traditionally served in a round wooden mortar garnish with a sprinkling of Utazi leaves and red onions rings. Enjoy!

1. Boil the goat head whole add salt and cook until tender.
2. Carve the head to separate all the meat from the bone set aside
3. Heat the pot then add the oil and potash dissolved in water do not allow to boil add the shredded onion and cook for 2 mins.
4. Add the first four ingredients listed for the sauce and cook for 3 mins
5. Add the salt and bouillon seasoning and cook for 2 mins
6. Add the meat to the sauce and cook further for 5 mins
7. Dish and garnish
8. Enjoy!

WELCOME

Many bloggers write that they started blogging because they wanted to document their recipes. Well that is a good enough reason.So is documenting my recipes the reason for starting a food blog- not really.

So why did I decide to document my cooking adventures- well I actually print loads of recipes online to try out but often fail to file the printout so I end up losing the recipe and I spend avoidable time trying to search for lost recipes. Am actually committing to writing and sharing my cooking journey hoping it would help make the world a greener place ( did you say how)simply- because I wouldn't have to print and reprint recipes anymore!!!

So welcome and follow me on this exciting journey.