Ofada stew recipe with boiled eggs (stew soaked eggs). Oh yes please, honestly this ofada stew is one of the best things I have cooked recently, It is quick to make and requires few ingredients. I say this all the time, it is not quantity that makes good food but the quality and love that goes into it.
Ofada stew is enjoyed in every part of Nigeria, it is mostly paired with ofada rice or plain white rice. I bet you, I make the best!!! well if I do say so myself. This stew is just the truth, I use roasted bell pepper for this stew but please feel free to use it fresh ones if you don’t have access to an oven.
I have other ofada stew recipe on the blog, do not hesitate to check them out. Let's get cooking Ofada stew recipe 1.3 lol
Ingredients
Large red bell pepper (tatashe)
Crushed chilli flakes
Locust beans (iru woro)
Salt to taste
Chicken bouillon Powder: substitutes for beef or vegetable bouillon.
Vegetable oil: substituteS with palm oil or a mixture of both
large onion
Ground crayfish (optional)
Pre-cooked chopped assorted meat of choice
How to make ofada stew
Prep! Prep! and prep!!! This will only take about 30-45 minutes
Chop the onions, boil the eggs, peel and set aside, wash and rinse the locust beans, deseed the red bell peppers, rinse and place on a baking tray, spray little oil on it and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or till a little bit charred (but not burnt) once it is done to your satisfaction, add to a blender with some chopped onions (reserve some for later) or food processor and blend coarsely.
Place a pan on a medium heat and leave till hot (check that the pot is dry too) Add the vegetable oil (or palm oil) and leave to bleach for about 5 minutes or longer (this stage is optional, leave longer if using palm oil) and please remember to keep the kitchen ventilated when doing this.
This stage is also optional; you can fry the chopped meat in the oil or grill for a healthier option. If you choose to do the first, remove the meat from the oil once fried and drain on a paper towel.
Add chopped onions to the hot oil and stir carefully (the onions will infuse with the oil) add the blended pepper and locust beans to the oil. Be careful at this point as the pepper might splatter if the oil is too hot. Add the chilli flakes and stir to combine. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, add boiled eggs and ground crayfish. Stir carefully into the stew and leave to cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. Check at intervals and stir to avoid burning, add salt and seasoning to taste.
Add the chopped assorted meat and stir carefully into the stew (Just look at those eggs and say hmnnnn, ama get you soon. Lol)
Cook for another 7-12 minutes and by this time oil should be floating on the surface of the stew. Check for salt, seasoning and adjust accordingly. Decant oil and serve your stew with fluffy ofada rice or plain white rice. Oh yes, you can thank me later. Wink wink
Other stew recipes to pair with rice
Enjoy. If you try out this recipe, I would really love to hear from you. Tag me your pictures on Instagram and Facebook, tell me how you get on and let's rub minds. hahaha
Ofada Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 large red bell pepper (tatashe)
- 50 g crushed chilli flakes sub for 2 scotch bonnet chillies
- 50 g locust beans / iru (1 to 2 wraps)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Chicken seasoning powder bouillion of choice
- 1½ cups vegetable oil substitute with palm oil
- 1 large onion chopped reserves about ¼ to use for later
- 3 tablespoons ground crayfish optional
- 600 g pre-cooked chopped assorted meat fried or grilled
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients and roast the peppers: deseed the red bell peppers, rinse and place on an oiled baking tray, spray little oil on them and roast in a preheated oven at 180C/365F for about 20 minutes or till a little bit charred (but not burnt) once it is done to your satisfaction. While you are waiting on the peppers to roast, boil the eggs, once it is done, peel and set aside, wash and rinse the locust beans too.
- Roughly chop the onions and add to a blender or food processor along with the roasted peppers and blend or process coarsely.
- Place a pan on medium heat and leave until hot (check that the pot is dry completely too to avoid splatter) Add the vegetable oil (or palm oil) and heat for about 5 minutes or longer (this stage is optional, leave longer if using palm oil) and please remember to keep the kitchen ventilated when doing this.
- Add chopped onions to the hot oil and stir carefully (the onions will infuse with the oil) add the blended pepper and locust beans to the oil. Be careful at this point as the pepper might splatter if the oil is too hot. Add the chilli flakes and stir to combine. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, add boiled eggs and ground crayfish. Stir carefully into the stew and leave to cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. Check at intervals and stir to avoid burning, add salt and seasoning to taste.
- Add the chopped assorted meat and stir carefully into the stew. Cook for another 7-12 minutes and by this time oil should be floating on the surface of the stew. Check for salt, seasoning and adjust accordingly. Decant oil and serve your ofada stew with fluffy ofada rice or plain white rice.
This recipe had picture facelift in 2019, the recipe is perfect and still remained as originally published. I have kept the picture below for reference.
Hello Ajoke, can you show how to cook ofada rice. I tried cooking once but, I smell was too much unlike the ofada I buy outside. Thank you.
Hi Ogechi, I will add it on my to-do list.
Good day Auntie A. Please what if I don’t have access to iru?
You can skip it in this recipe and your ofada stew would still turn out great.
Is ayamase stew the same as ofada stew?
They are called different names because of the types of pepper used in cooking them
Just got tied of my usual stew and I tried this ofada stew recipe yesterday It was our world of stew. Thnks so much for this idea . My family loves it
Hi Adaobi, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the ofada sauce recipe. Thanks for stopping by and do check back for more yummy recipes
Hi! What Type of meat do you prefer in this recipe? Thanks
Hello, I use any type of assorted meat for ofada stew. you can use any meat you like
Please what is chilli flakes and is after granding the locust bean I add or I don't grand it at All?
Hello, kindly refer to the post for the picture of chilli flake. The locust bean was also not blended into the stew. You would add the chilli flakes after you have added the fresh pepper and locust beans.
Well done, please I want ingredient for jollof rice please
Thank you, kindly search the blog for Jollof rice recipe
Hi! Is it neccessary to boil the pepper blend before frying?
Hello, no you don't have to boil the pepper before frying
I just found you on google and i am so glad!!!!!!!!!
Welcome to my active kitchen, glad you found us
Well done. Just want something to be clarified. Isn't ofada stew supposed to be made with unripe pepper and compulsorily palm oil? Say that you used ripe ones. Because, I grew up in remo and the ones I buy from those mama is usually green-like and dark in colour. Thanks.
Hi Adeola thank you for stopping by, the green stew is called ayamase and I have the recipe on here too. kindly check it out
Thanks for your response. Already noted that now. Keep cooking and inspiring us.
Thks for this tasty recipe.
I do have but dry locust beans. What quantity should i use? Thanks in advance
You can use as much as you like. Thanks