The most AMAZING Smoky Ofada stew recipe EVER!

An assortment of meats cooked inside a rough blend of bell peppers. Nigerians like to call it Ofada or Ayamase and no matter how you call it OMO… The enjoyment is still certain at the end of this Ofada stew recipe so Get ready to prepare a Lagos staple in the comfort of your own home.

Yesterday I was scrolling on the gram and I saw this random video of a lady eating hot ofada with ofada rice and I was like God When! God when will technology allow me tap on anything I see on the internet and let it appear in my house like afmag Magic. Well my unrealistic. (low-key realistic) expectation of the internet age keeps me motivated.

I’m sure you’ve thought about it too. How do I get to try all these dishes I see on the internet and my answer is , JUST TRY IT! I started blogging because it’s one thing to see the picture and think “ooh! that looks delicious!” It’s an even bigger flex to be able to prepare it and lave it anytime you want!

Now I am going to teach YOU how to prepare Ofada stew like a BOSS! Let’s tension the neighbours with the enticing aroma of our kitchen shall we.

Here are a few thing you need to know before we get started

How to bleach Palm oil

Palm oil is what is used to fry the bell peppers in this recipe. Before you ask…No! Bleaching palm oil is not compulsory ..however… Ofada isn’t really OFADA without the smokiness of the palm oil present so if you really want the authentic taste, you have to choke a little…*cough! *cough!

1st Step: Pour your palm oil into a pot

2nd step: Heat it up and cover your pot with a fitting lid ( you need to do this so that the smoke doesn’t consume your kitchen)

3rd Step: After 15 minutes turn off the heat and let the oil cool down while the lid is still on

Tips for Bleaching palm oil

1. The pot should be dry before adding your oil
2. Use high heat
3. Cover the pot before and after the bleaching process and let it cool before taking the cover off
4. Make sure your kitchen is well ventilated- vent is ON , windows are open

Ingredients for Ofada Stew

1. Bell peppers– people always ask “Should I use Green or Red bell pepper for Ofada? My answer is use Red if you are focusing on Appearance and use Green if you are focusing on flavour. You can have the best of both worlds by mixing both peppers which is exactly what I do.

P.s you can always use some alternatives like cubanelle peppers, jalapeño peppers or long bell peppers. They work just as well!

2. Scotch bonnet peppers– an alternative to this would be habanero pepper( it’s much hotter.) Ofada needs to have that element of Mph! Make sure you add in enough pepper to tease your tongue but not disturb your stomach.

3. Bleached palm oil– An essential key. Steps are right above

4. Roasted Meat– Yes ooh! I always talk about layering your flavours and roasting your cooked meat in the oven is a great way to infuse that extra depth of flavour into your dish. If you haven’t tried it before, TRY IT and thank me later.

5. Iru– the English name for “iru” is “fermented locust beans” and it is a local spice in Nigeria that has a really strong aroma and mildly earthy taste. Of course, It takes some getting used to but you learn to appreciate its unique flavour with time

6. Spices: It’s better to keep the spices simple with Ofada. You only need Crayfish, Salt, Cameroon pepper and stock cubes

7. Boiled Eggs: Nothing is more enticing than hard boiled egg soaked in spicy ofada. Egg is like that underrated artist that hops on a track and makes a popular artist’s song a hit.

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P.s if you try this recipe at home, remember to tag me @nigerianfoodiehub on instagram so that I get to see it and I add you to my cabinet of honourable foodies.

More Nigerian recipes

Craving more bold spices and Nigerian favourites? Here are some tasty recipes for you to try out…

• Jambalaya rice
• Peppered turkey
• Banga soup
• Pepper soup
• Efo riro