OFADA RICE WITH STEW

Aishat Akano

Ofada rice is cooked non-parboiled, short-grain rice. It is topped with the local Ofada stew - a rich, red, pepper sauce that is full of ingredients like meat, fish, locust beans, offals, cow skin, flavoured crayfish, and a lot more. Ofada rice and Ofada stew is widely eaten among Nigerians and it is now much accepted even in modern parties.

INGREDIENT:

Ofada rice

Scotch bonnets (ata rodo)

Red bell pepper (tatashe)

Onion

Palm oil

Beef

Ponmo

Ground Crayfish

Stock seasoning 

Locust beans

Fresh moi-moi leaves (to serve the rice in)

Steps in preparing Ofada rice and stew:

• Boil the beef, ponmo, and shaki first. Fry lightly in palm oil and set aside when done.

• Clean the leaves by rinsing thoroughly in water. You can clean them in a bowl of salted water. The salted water helps to get rid of unwanted bacteria. 

• Boil the ofada rice. Keep the pot a little open to cut back the cooking froth. Do not forget to add salt.

• Blend the pepper - rodo, tatashe - and onions roughly together. Do not let them mix too much. Heat some palm oil for a few seconds and add chopped onions.

• Roughly add the blended pepper, seasonings, beef stock, and locust beans. Fry them for about 10 minutes then add the meat. Finish off by adding some grounded crayfish.

• Place the washed leaves on a plate and serve the rice into them with the stew. Enjoy!