Fried Pepper Stew (Obe Ata Dindin) is an African dish loaded with meat and sauce. Every spoonful gives you a taste of umami flavor and a pungent fragrance. Without a doubt, it will leave you wanting more.
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This dish also has the perfect balance between spicy and sweet!
How to Make Fried Pepper Stew
This dish is enjoyable because you can customize it according to your preferences. You’ll definitely relish it up to the last bite. It’s a one-pot meal!
Ingredients
Pepper sauce
The pepper sauce is made of blended with red bell pepper, scotch bonnet, and onion. It also has a kick of spice and a certain tanginess.
Hence, peppers are my go-to vegetables for African dishes like Jollof Rice, Egusi Soup, and Fish Stew!
Stockfish
Stockfish is seafood airdried outdoors for several months. It may have an odd smell but has a subtle pungent flavor. According to Medium, it is also suitable for the elderly and pregnant women.
Assorted meat
Precook the assorted meat to produce a flavorful liquid stock. You can also use beef, cow foot, tripe, abodi, and other meat options of your choice.
Smoked turkey
Smoked turkey has a rich, tender, and smoky taste. Besides, it pairs perfectly well with this recipe’s savory sauce. Moreover, it adds a new quality to the dish!
Turkey can be used for Turkey and Mushroom Pie and Fried Rice!
Palm oil
Use palm oil to fry the sauce and the stew. Cooking them with oil improves the flavor of the pepper stew. There are also many benefits from palm oil!
Seasoning
While the seasoning is customizable, I highly recommend using liquid stock, locust beans, sea salt, curry powder, and mixed herbs. You can also add chili flakes or cayenne pepper if you want to add extra spice to the dish.
These Nigerian Fried Pepper Stew staple ingredients are the most basic yet best for this dish. The dish will always give you the flavor, texture, and ultimate African experience!
Directions
- Blend the red bell peppers, scotch bonnet, and onion in a blender.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Next, fry the pepper sauce for two minutes.
- Season it with stock cubes, curry powder, mixed herbs, locust beans, and assorted meat liquid stock.
- Cook it for 10 minutes.
- Then, add the stockfish as an optional ingredient.
- After 5 minutes, season it with sea salt.
- Add assorted meat of your choice.
- Toss in the smoked turkey and toss the meats into the sauce.
- Let it cook for five more minutes before serving!
Isn’t this one of the easiest stew recipes you have ever tried? Nigerian delicacies never disappoint, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to cook this unforgettable Nigerian Fried Pepper Stew!
Tips
How to Make Pepper Sauce Without a Blender
- If you don’t have access to a blender, I recommend using a grater or knife.
- Alternatively, use a food processor or immersion blender.
- You may also use a mortar, pestle, a plastic bag, and a rolling pin to pound the ingredients until pulpy.
Assorted Meat and Liquid Stock
Beef parts are some of the best meats to use for this recipe. For instance, you can use tripe, abodi, and other beef organs. Combine these with broiler chicken and turkey for a stronger flavor.
- Rinse the meat parts in a pot and set the fire to medium heat.
- Mix in the onions and garlic and season with curry powder, thyme, stock cubes, and salt.
- Then, let it cook for 30 minutes.
- Drain the stock from the meat and let them cool.
- Store the liquid stock by freezing it in ice cube trays.
- Transfer the cubes into freezer bags for up to several weeks.
Smoked Turkey
Set the smoker to 120°C. Grease the tray and place the seasoned and marinated turkey in the middle. Then, cook it in the smoking machine for 6 hours, depending on the size of the turkey.
Use broth to baste the turkey to keep it moist and flavorful. Cooking this in the slow cooker can also take up to several hours.
Fried Pepper Stew Variations
Aside from stockfish, you can also use mackerel, crayfish, tilapia, or other seafood of your choice. Omit or replace meat and turkey with other ingredients.
Use your preferred herbs and spices to make it spicy or sweet, depending on how you want it to taste. You can use chili flakes or scotch bonnet too. Locust beans can be replaced or omitted.
You can also add in some hard-boiled eggs for added flavor and nutrients. In fact, you can also incorporate vegetables such as spinach and kale to make Vegetable Soup.
Recommended Tools
- Pan: Cook the stew in a deep pan.
- Spatula: Combine the ingredients with a spatula.
- Glass bowls: Prepare the ingredients in glass bowls.
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How to Serve Fried Pepper Stew
Nigerian Fried Pepper Stew is best served with rice, pasta, bread, and yam recipes. If you prefer rice, then I suggest eating this with White Rice or Ofada Rice, Fried Rice, Basmati Rice, or tasty Jollof Rice.
You might be surprised that it can also be paired with Spaghetti. It can also be enjoyed with Boiled Yam, Steamed Plantain, and Roasted Plantains.
My family loves it with Agege Bread, Air Fryer Bread, Fried Plantain, or even Potatoes. The tenderness of the bread can improve your Nigerian cuisine experience with pepper stew.
Yam is also a delicious pairing that you need to try. It can be eaten with Fried Yam, Yam Fritters, Fried Cocoyam, and more.
Storage Tips
- At room temperature: Fried Pepper Stew can be kept for about two hours for the best experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add black pepper to the stew?
Yes, you can season the stew with black pepper. Use it in proper amounts to avoid overpowering the flavors.
Can you use dry pepper instead of the scotch bonnet?
Yes, you can use other spicy ingredients instead of the scotch bonnet. Fresh spices may taste hotter compared to powdered seasoning, so use them moderately.
Can you use other oils?
Definitely! Remember to use oils with high smoke points to preserve the dishes’ nutrients and flavors without compromising the meal’s quality. I recommend using vegetable oil or canola oil.
Where can you buy locust beans?
Locust beans are readily available in African grocery stores because these are a staple food for African stew recipes.
Nigerian Fried Pepper Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
for the pepper sauce
- 5 red bell peppers (medium-sized)
- 2 scotch bonnets (small-sized)
- 1 onion (small-sized)
for the stew
- pepper sauce (see above list)
- 4 tbsp palm oil
- ½ cup stockfish (diced)
- 2 cups assorted meat (cooked, diced)
- 1 cup smoked turkey (diced)
- ½ cup liquid stock
- 1 tsp locust beans (Iru)
- 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
- ½ tsp mixed herbs (optional)
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Make the pepper sauce.
- Rinse and chop the bell peppers and onion.
- Add the bell peppers, scotch bonnet and onion to the blender.
- Blend the red bell peppers, scotch bonnet, and onion until you achieve a pulpy consistency.
Cook the stew.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Add the pepper sauce and fry it for two minutes.
- Season it with stock cubes, curry powder, mixed herbs, locust beans, and assorted meat liquid stock.
- Cook it for 10 minutes.
- Add the stockfish as an optional ingredient.
- After 5 minutes, season it with sea salt.
- Add assorted meat of your choice.
- Incorporate smoked turkey and toss the meats into the sauce.
- Let it cook for five more minutes before serving!
Video
Notes
- Cook the assorted meat with the right herbs and spices and separate the liquid stock for African dishes.
- Customize the flavors to your preferred slices.
- Use other meat or seafood if preferred.
Nutrition
