AYAMASE STEW ALSO KNOWN AS OFADA STEW....ENJOY!

Y'ello everyone,

  Guess we are all gearing up for the  weekend? It’s been a very busy week for me. Happy it’s almost over so I can have a bit of some relaxation with the fam bam.  And I have cooked so much during the week, however, I’m not yet used to taking pictures while cooking so you guys have to pardon me 🙇 But, I promise, I will remake all these dishes and have them posted.

Today, I made Ayamase, or Ofada as some call it. This is a native Western Nigerian stew that is eaten with Ofada rice. I believe it is mostly eaten by the western part of Nigeria, the Yoruba tribe. Usually, the rice and stew together are called Ofada, and I believe the stew itself is called Ayamase. The stew can be eaten with any kind of rice but with Ofada rice, now put into uma leaf!  (also known as "ewe moimoi) it is bomb! lol Yorubas call this "rice elewe" lol Growing up in Nigerian, I remember going to visit my grandparents in Ekiti state, western part of Nigeria, we’ll always see someone hawking Ofada wrapped in Uma leaf or my grandmother making it! It was so good!!! 

Let’s dive in.

Here are the ingredients:

6 Green shepherd pepper

5 scotch bonnets 

Ground powdered pepper 

3 onions

2 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons of ginger 

Granulated Mushroom Bouillon 

Salt 

Meat: goat meat, goat tripe (Shaki), roundabout, 5 eggs, Pomo. (You can put as many varieties of meat as you wish) 

Powdered crayfish 

Locust beans (iru)

Palm oil

prepping Stage

(1) I blended my pepper: 6 green shepherd pepper, 5 scotch bonnet, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of ginger, some locust beans and powered crayfish. (If you can avoid putting too much water while blending that will be great) (picture to the right shows the sauce after its blend and boiled)

(2) I then boiled my meat, and eggs. Eggs in a different pot and all the meat in another. I used the same method for boiling my meat.-(go here to see how) https://savagecuisine.blogspot.com/2018/09/goat-meat-soup.html

(3) while my meat was boiling, I parboiled my blended pepper in a different pot on low-heat for 20 minutes or till the water dries out and it changes
colour to dark green. 

(4) sliced up some onions 

(5) fry the meat (this is optional. Some people prefers the meat crunchy. This is because the meat soaks up the pepper and oil in the soup after some time. I didn’t fry my meat because I only made it to be eaten within two days). 

Cooking stage: 

(1) To make Ofada stew, I prefer using frying pan, this helps the pepper fry rather than boil or cook. My pan is on the cooker on low heat till it dries out. Then I added about 4 cooking spoons of palm oil.  I let that bleach for 5 minutes. Again, depending on how you like the oil on your soup should be the determinant. Usually Ayamase needs lots of oil. 

(2) After 5minutes, I poured my onions, let it fry for another 2 mins, followed by more locust beans and powdered crayfish.

(3) after stirring for another 2 mins, I poured my perboiled pepper into the the oil, then I keep stirring the sauce for about 10mins. 

(4) poured my meat into the sauce, mixed it together,then I added my powered pepper just to thicken it more. Tasted it before adding salt and my mushroom bouillon....(Noticed I didn't add any seasoning till later? This is because the crayfish and locust beans Are seasonings in its self so you have to be careful. Also, the boiled meats have added seasonings too. At the end, if not satisfied, then add your seasonings. You will definitely need to add some at the end)
(5) covered and let it simmer for 10minutes on low heat.  stirred it again and it was READY! 🗣🗣🗣🗣

My perboiled rice was ready and so was I! Hehehehe

Next, I will be making vegetable soup (Efo Riro) 

Until next time, au revoir