Nigerian Stew
I have a confession, don’t take it personal (in the voice of D’bang) – I seldom cook stew. I could go 3-4 months without cooking a pot of Nigerian stew. My husband and I are really into small batch sauces, there was never a need to have stew in the house. We would usually make fresh sauce for pasta or rice as needed. Fast forward to late 2014, with a little baby in the house; we didn’t have time for the shenanigans we were accustomed to. I am now a proud member of the “always have stew in the fridge” club.
I prepare my stew in a very unconventional way. I am not about that pepper boiling life. it’s honestly too much cleanup work as the sauce has a tendency to spatter all over the place as it boils.
So how does she do it you ask- OVEN ROASTED peppers and tomatoes. Yes, you read it here FIRST and it’s going to change the way you prepare stew. I have been cooking my stew this way for years but I just never thought to share the secret (Big Grin).
Simply cut up peppers, tomatoes, onions etc needed for the stew, roast in the oven for about 45 minutes (I usually roast along with meat). Puree in a blender and you get PERFECT thick paste that doesn’t have to be reduced / parboiled . You can also achieve this thick paste without boiling and without an oven but the taste and aroma just isn’t the same.
Here is a complete recipe on the soon to be famous “9jaFoodie Style Nigerian Stew”
Video Recipe
Ingredients may differ slightly :)
The Sauce
Ingredients
- 4-6 Large Tomatoes
- 4 Red Bell Peppers (Tatashe)
- 2 Green Bell Peppers
- 2 Large Onion
- 1-4 Scotch Bonnet peppers (Ata-rodo)
Direction
- Chop all ingredients into large chunks, roast at 400F for 45-60 Minutes.
- Puree to a paste in a blender (no need to add water)
No Oven? No Problem!
Prepare the same ingredients as listed above
Direction
- Place the sauce ingredients in a pot and add in 1 cup of water
- Place on Low-Medium heat and boil for 10 – 15 minutes
- Pour boiled peppers into a strainer to remove any excess water. Puree to a smooth paste
- The resulting base will be thick and will require no further boiling. Enjoy!!
Recipe Note
- Roasting time will vary depending on oven type, roast until pepper are shrunken and look as pictured.
- Depending on the water content of the produce, you might have to remove some water from the pan as you roast the peppers
- I use a combination of red and green peppers because green peppers are cheaper where I live and has zero effect on the color of the stew. Feel free to use red peppers only
- You can toss the ingredients in some spices before roasting, this will enhance the flavor profile and the paste can also be used as pasta sauce without further cooking
- I usually broil my peppers a little just to char them for a more smoky flavor
- Store unused paste in the fridge or freezer. I often make a very large batch to use over time
- To make a big batch of paste, use a roasting pan not a try. Remember to give the veggies a couple of stirs while roasting.
The Stew
Ingredients
- 3 cups sauce
- 10 – 15 pieces boiled and roasted protein of choice (beef, shaki, ponmo, goat etc)
- 1 cup meat stock
- Maggi and salt to taste
- Curry and Thyme to taste
- 1/3 cup of Oil
Direction
- Place a large pot on medium heat and add in meat stock. Add in sauce and 1-2 cups of water. Simmer until it starts to boil
- Add in protein. Combine. Taste and adjust for salt and maggi. Cover and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes
- Add in oil , curry and thyme. Simmer for about 10 more minutes or just until oil floats to the top. Your stew is ready to serve
Recipe Note:
- The sauce is already cooked to perfection, there is no need to cook the stew for hours unending
- I prefer roasted meat in my stew. You may use fried meat if you prefer. I find Salt, maggi, onion and a little pepper is all the seasoning you need for boiling meat.
- Curry, thyme and other seasonings should be added in at the last stage of cooking, otherwise the flavors will get lost in the mix
- I often do not add oil to my stew, there is loads of naturally occurring oil in meat. If you must use oil, add it in at the end, that way you add oil to enhance the stew
- If you prefer fried stew. Start with 1 cup of oil and only add 1/2 extra cup of water to the stew. everything else should be the same
- This recipe can be modified for fish stew or chicken stew. Simply substitute your choice of protein
Listen I’m not Nigerian, but honey…. this is the most simple pepper stew recipe I’ve come across. Now, a friend of mine had taken me through a bit of training sessions 😂😂😂never worked out. It left me so intimidated.
Yours sounds simple, I can handle a bit roasting and pureeing…. let you know how it turned out.
I used this method and still had a LOT of splatter. Wondering what i did wrong!
Thank you this recipe is amazing, my husband has Nigerian parents. I used to make jollof rice and chicken and stew, cut down on the peppers as we have young children. It was gorgeous thanks again.
Please if one doesn’t have oven has does one broil the tomatoes and pepper.
Can I keep it outside the fridge by canning process
I have successfully done this in the past. I kept it for 3 weeks. I will try a longer time in the future. Make sure to do the essential canning steps of (1) using new lids and checking them for imperfections (2) achieving the right temperature and (3) making sure the lids “pop” when cooling so that you know they have sealed properly.
I believe that the acid and salt allows it to keep as long as I dont include meat lol. Other foods last 2 years, so I plan to try longer than 3 weeks.
Tried it and loved it! Added ginger, garlic and habanero peppers before roasting. The recipe is wonderful. Finger licking goodness. Thank you for sharing ❤️
Can this base be used for jollof rice?
Yes it can
I sure will give this a try
9jafoodie hi, roasting veggies and then blending to make stew, major eye opener for me. Never in my wildest dreams did I think of that but here is an idea. Have you ever thought of boiling meat/chicken without putting a single drop of water…?
I tried it and it was totally out of this world.
Just add the seasonings as you normally would, then lower the flame a little than the usual heat level and you’ll be amazed with the outcome.
The idea hit me when I observed barbecues, no water is added and they taste way better than boiled meat. Same goes for other foods, plantain, corn on the curb e.t.c
Enjoy…!
I am glad you love the tip. Yes, that’s exactly what I do with my meat. I have a post on it here
Wow. Will definitely try this. But I have a very small Microwave oven. How do I adjust the time to 45C?
Hello! sorry i am unable to help as I dont know the type of oven you have.
what is “Maggi”? Where I come from, Maggi is a brand of instant noodles.
Maggi is one of the main brands that makes seasoning cubes used in Nigeria_> https://www.9jafoodie.com/maggi-bouillon-cube/
When did you add the grilled vegetables?
It was blended to form the base.
This recipe was so good I bought the book!
So i made the stew this afternoon, I didn’t sieve the tomato mixture because of pure laziness. Nne this stew is the bam, my father loved it, my hubby and I think my daughter but sometimes you can’t tell what she is saying. I have always been a rice and stew person more than a jollof person so I appreciate a good red stew. Thank you so much for giving us this recipe. I can’t wait to try your other ones.
Thanks so much for sharing. How long can I keep the base in the refrigerator? Does it freeze well?
It freezes extremely well. it will keep for months in the freezer. You can also store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
What kind of red bell peppers do you use? Cause the regular big red bell peppers they have here is not tatashe. Am trying to get this recipe right, so which one do you use, is it the red bell pepper or tatashe? Thanks.
I just made this recipe, but my stew is a little too orange. What do think that I did wrong?
I used the broiling method 5 years as only had access to hand blender at the time. And I noticed that once the veggies where blended I’d end with a lovely paste. And it cut out the mess etc
indeed!
what is the name of the meat that you used in the display above. will be trying recipe tonight
beef, ponmo (skin) and tripe (Shaki)
I tried it n it came out perfect….Even show my hubby how to via oven and how it saves time cos I won’t be around to help out….thanks a lot sis
Yeiii! thanks for the feedback.
How long do you broil the vegetable for?
about 45minutes
Hey this woman!!! you are blessed man!! This site has turned me into a pro!! God bless you
amen :)
Amazing, never heard of this method! Unfortunately though, I don’t have an oven yet :(. Please do you think a microwave oven will work?
If you are talking about conventional microwave used to warm food then unfortunately not.
You can use open flame to achieve a roasted consistency.
Try this method last week and was so good will definitely be using this method now
Awesome! thanks for the feedback.
this method is lit! while the stuff was in the oven i washed my hair and did stuff around the house. talk about a time saver. only thing was the intense splashorama when i fried the stew. i usually put ginger in my stew, and this brought out the flavour more. will def be using this method in the future. thanks for this!
Yeiii! you are most welcome.
couldnt believe it. saw this by happenstance and it is PERFECT! this is my new modus operandi from hence
I am glad
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you for this recipe. Once that roasting aroma hit my nose I knew it was going to be a great day! Thank You. Thank you. Thank you. Can’t wait to look at your other recipes! Remain Blessed
You are welcome :)
Hi, I love the recipe it turned out perfectly but it was too hot(spicy)… Can you suggest a way to turn down the heat without losing flavour ?
Great! you can add in more tomatoes.
i have been wanting to try this for a while but dont know how to go about it. I purchase my peppers and tomatoes in large boxes and have to freeze them. the tomato gets very soft after it thaws, can i still roast it without loosing all the tomato,…lol
I haven’t tried roasting frozen tomatoes before. I do roast defrosted bell peppers though and it works well.
I am going to try this at the next available opportunity. You are a genius!
do let me know how it turns out.
I don’t know what I did wrong but my stew turned out bitter. I used the boiling method. Help? ?
My only guess is that there was something wrong with the produce you used.I cant think of any other reason your stew would be bitter.
Did you put the seeds of the tatase in? Can make it bitter
I have heard that but never experienced it. I take out some seeds but I am not strict about it.
Tried this and it was a hit! Tweaked the tom,pepper ratio though ( 6 tom: 6 red bell pep : 5 scotch pep: 2 onions),it was blazing hot just how i like it, but it came out really well. Thanks for this, Ronke.
great! thanks for the feedback
i must surely try this. Finally i dont need to boil tomatoes all the way and waste my gaz. Thanks a lot to this revelation.
do let me know how it turns out. you are welcome
Hello naija foodie I really need your opinion,wh ca ca use in place of potash for a soured stew?
It depends on why the stew is sour. Is it spoiled from being left out or from acidity of tomato used?
No, seriously. This was a blessing, I just put my social media on notice about your website, etc. If there’s a cookbook, I’m supporting.
This is incredibly healthy, simplified and punch-your-momma delicious. I’m a new fan of yours.
awwww thanks Sean!
Hi, I’m a student living away from home and I would like to make this stew however, I’m a bit confused. Back home my mum used to use tinned tomatoes but in this recipe you used fresh tomatoes. I just wanted to know if it actually makes a difference to the recipe and if using tinned tomatoes is still okay. Also you roasted your vegetables, my mum never did that and I would like to know if it makes the taste of the stew better. Thanks.
Hello – yes, it’s okay to substitute tin tomato. Roasted vegetables is a signature that I introduced to the Nigerian cooking sphere, it eliminates the need for parboiling and it adds smokyness to the stew.
Hi. Love your recipe. Im cooking a cooking novice and i wanted to know if you could put a a recipe for the stock you use. It would sure help me a lot. Thanks.
Hello Prince – the stock is typically from boiling meat. please check out this post for further details on how to make stock.
Hey! I made dis yday. Loved the taste and look of d stew, it came out just like the picture. I used goat meat 4 mine. Tanks 9jafoodie. Do you have a recipe for dry okro?
yeiiiiiii!!! that’s great feedback, thank you!! No! but I should, I loved Orunla (dried okra) soup when I was growing up.
Hey, I was wondering if i could still roast the peppers/tomatoes that have been in the freezer for a while.
you sure can. You just have to defrost the vegetables before roasting. let me know how it turns out.
This is so out of the box way of cooking…
:)
I like adding tomato paste for quantity reason. At what stage should I add the tomato paste?
Puree the paste with the peppers.
I’ve made this twice now and I LOVE the technique. Thank you for all the work you put into this blog. I’ve wanted to make food like this for my guy for years and always felt too intimated. You make it all so easy!
Yeiii! thanks for the feedback.
I can’t wait to try this out! I’m hooked on this blog! For real though…do a book.
on it! thanks much
Thanks alot for this method! I tried the “boil before blend” and it was on point! Though I used canned tomatoes which caused a bit of splatter pre-blending but I was impressed the stew cooked barely minutes and it was yummy :D
Your recipes are so easy to follow, well written for 9ja food dummies… Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the feedback.
Tnx u’re simply amazing.
awww :D
I tried your method, and thanks because it was the best stew I ever made. this would be my method from now on
yeiiii!!! that’s awesome. Thanks for the feedback.
Amazing comments I will sure try this. Two questions: how can I achieve this using a microwave? Secondly,why must I strain before pureeing if I am going to add water to the sauce much later.
Yes, it can be achieved using a baking microwave style oven. we remove the water so you can better control the thickness of your stew.
This is one of my favourite recipes from you! I’m never making stew any other way!
Yeiii!!
I love what you are doing here, 9jafoodie. It’s been a while! Hope you and your family are good. Let me know when your cookbook comes out. It would be a pleasure to have you on my blog.
OMG!! Been way too long. I definitely will keep you posted on the book.
I just prepped this awesome smelling stew. Thank you ma’am.
You are most welcome.
So after you roast your fresh chopped ingredients, do you blend the now roasted ingredients, or is there already going to be a puree there? I’m sorry if this is a weird question :)
You will have to blend the roasted peppers.
Thank you for the recipe. I just tried it yesterday and it’s the first time my elder sister who is the queen of all things food commended my stew. The aroma was just divine. She has already adopted the recipe. Will try more recipes.
yeiiiii you!!
Thank you so much! I cant express how much I hate the bubbling and splattering that comes with boiling the sauce. Just made this and it’s perfect! Will definitely be coming back for more tips and recipes.
That’s great to hear Mae, thanks for the feedback.
How do I roast my protein -beef, shaki, bokoto,? Do I have to boil them first or roast raw n do i have to dab on veg oil before roasting?
Yes, you do have to boil them first. I will do a proper post on it soonest.
Hi this looks very interesting, was wondering if I can use the sweet peppers sold in the local grocery stores, they are usually orangeish
I have never tried those. I usually use the green or red ones.
Hello Ronke!
You are doing a great work here.
With this kind of stew eehn,there is no way Esau wouldn’t have sold his birthright.
hahaha.. thanks much
Hi newbie here I am poor student and I think the fresh tomatoes here in the UK are not as good as back home plus I can’t find tatashe to save my life. Can these recipe be made with canned chopped tomatoes and still taste nice.
And for the frying method which is how I normally make my stew it always burn and still taste kind of sour when I make it. Help please!!!!
Hey dimma emmy, I use canned tomatoes as well. I roast everything else, the peppers and onions, then I blend it with the canned tomatoes in a blender. So save the canned tomatoes till the blending stage.
Sour stew when frying….hmmm make sure none of the items you use are past their expiration date. Or maybe it’s the pot?
Thanks Tunmi! you are the real MVP
Hi Dimma,
Tatashe can be found in the produce isle of major grocery chains, they are sold as red bell peppers. I think the sour taste might be from too much tomatoes, canned tomatoes are usually more tart than fresh ripe ones.
As Tunmi mentioned, canned tomatoes should be added directly into the blender with the roasted ingredients.
Hello Dimma, perhaps I am too late and you have already solved your problem, but I was always told to ensure I got rid of the seeds from the bell peppers and as much of the white inside bit as possible, as they add bitterness/sourness.
As for you 9jafoodie, you are a god send! What a great idea. I will be trying this the next time I make stew. What a joy to not be a slave to the cooker?!
@TUMMY try soaking the pan in a mix of vinegar , dish washing liquid and water then wash. I would normally do a part of vinegar to three parts of water. But from your post, it looks like the pepper is concentrated so make the vinegar more concerned and maybe boil on low med heat for about 5 to 10 minutes before you wash. Good luck.
@Ronke pls I asked yesterday how you would make EKO. Pls kindly oblige
Sorry I might have missed this. eko jije or pap(ogi). we have a post on ogi making here: https://www.9jafoodie.com/how-to-make-ogi-pap-eko-akamu-from-scratch/
This is so nice!!! Your recipe are so realistic but please i want the the “9jafoodie” app. when will it be out!!!!
Please help me ooo my stew taste very good but how do u manage to get de red color of urs
Redness is ALWAYS a factor of the produce used. A nifty trick is to add in a little tomato paste (puree) or some red paprika. For the recipe mix above, you can add in 125ML of paste or 2 tablespoons of red paprika for brilliant red color.
This so nice
Thanks much! do try it out
I’m a PhD student living alone in the UK and I so much miss Nigerian food. I am a terrible cook and would really appreciate your help!
I just made this stew and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been following your Instagram page for a few weeks now and I think I’m on a mission to make everything you put up lol. Thank u sooo much for making my hobby much more enjoyable. The stew….AMAZING and with less hassle. Thanks again and thanks for being such an inspiration to me…bless you
Aunty, Iyam baaccckkkk!!!
So how does one get the acid of the peppers out of the pan? My mum bakes cakes and pastry goods, and from scratch too. I use one of her baking pans, a square one darkened from use. So she was on a baking spree and she used one of the pepper pans to bake a chocolate cake. Thank goodness and all religious and spiritual deities that she tasted it a bit before decorating it. It was a habanero flavored chocolate cake.
This may be more of a chemistry question, but is it possible to get the aroma, acid, smell, or taste out of the pan? The ata rodo has capsaicin acid and it is baked, so to draw out that capsaicin acid from a metal pan, would we use alkaline foods?
Help anyone…
Your blog has changed my life and given me a lot of confidence in the kitchen.
That’s awesome Dera, we appreciate you.
I tried this yesterday and it was delish!!! The only mistake I made was not using enough oil as I increased the sauce. The smell from the oven was already heavenly!! Will definitely make again.
Awesome!! thanks for the feedback.
I have already grilled fish and chicken, how do I substitute the stock
You can use water and seasoning cube instead
Can’t wait to try this! Quick question- I get the fried method and adding it at the beginning, but wondering if adding oil at end enhances the flavor? Or what it does for stew?
Adding oil at the end enables you to make a better decision on how much oil you truly need.
Hiya! So I stumbled on your Instagram page many months ago and my hobby has had a reason to be more enjoyable. I love all you bring to us but most of all I must say, I love that you respond to every single comment-sweet or sour. Amazing!!! You must have an absolutely sweet heart.
Awww… thanks much. eiiii, comments help us improve in one way or another :)
Thanks for this site. It has made a difference to my cooking. God bless you. Quick question: Do you de-seed the red bell peppers? I have always de-seeded them but I am wondering if it is a waste of my time.
In the process of trying out this recipy, fingers crossed, it should come out as expected.
Just love your recipes
dear 9ja foodie. I am yet to try this recipe but I’m optimistic it will turn out really nice. if my microwave have a roast or bake function can I use it for the peppers? Thanks for sharing. I have a request. I’m presently handling the publication of women’s magazine for a notable interdenominational christian fellowship. I would like to feature this piece. can I have your email so I may give exact details. Regards.
You don’t have to add water to the none oven method, just put all your ingredients in apot and cook in low heat. The liquid in the ingredients will boil and dry out. You can even boil till its dry and all the ingredients look slightly roasted. I use this method all the time and it comes out beautifully well
Great! Thanks for the addition
Love this I will try it out. Sounds like a healthy way too.. Thanks for sharing
You are most welcome, do let us know how it turns out
It was delicious. I use this method all of the time now actually. I have stomach issues that make it difficult for me to have tomatoes so I just use bell peppers instead for the entire dish and it is wow. I also roast ox tails, tripe, beef, etc. in the oven along with the bell peppers, habanero peppers and onions. Best. thing. ever!
Fantastic! You are another believer Jay!
Thanks for the feedback.
Your stew sounds next level!
I am going to try this recipe out this weekend. For the first method, do I need to preheat the oil before putting it at end. By the way, I want to use palm oil.
You can do either or. if you want a more fried looking stew, then preheat the oil. I usually don’t add extra oil into my stew unless I absolutely have to, that’s why I add it in at the end.
New reader here, i dont have a oven, can i use microwave? And if its by boiling, after draining do i need to add water wen i want to blend?
No, a microwave will not work. No, you do not need to add any extra water to blend.
I will for sure try this method this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
You are most welcome. let us know how it goes.
Amazing. Trying it today
Yeiiii!! please let us know how it goes.
Just tried this stew. The stew is the truth!! Roasting enhances the flavor of the peppers, I just love it.
Keep up the great work.
B
whoop!!
First time of seeing this blog dear Ronke, thank you. Quick question, doesn’t the sour taste of the tomato remain with this method. I thought frying the stew is what removes the sourness. And some stew have some kind of sweetness, how can I achieve this, would using sweet pointed red peppers work? Thanks
The sour taste comes from unripe / undercooked tomatoes. The sauce will not be sour. Sweetness comes from sweet bell pepper (tatashe)
I tried this with the non oven method and the end result was absolutely scrumptious! The aroma, the taste, the rich colour and the time I saved! Thanks for the tip.
By the way, for my mix, I used tomatoes, red capsicum, green chili, garlic, onions and ginger. Had a huge pot so used more than 1 cup of water and boiled for 30 mins before blending.
Yeiii!! thanks for the feedback and thanks for the tip.
Hahahaha, thanks sis
Ok so stumbled on this new method of cooking Naija stew. Am curious so will go out tomorrow, get the ingredients and do some lab sorry kitchen work. If it turns out great then babe you have a new disciple! Can’t wait…
Please do keep us posted
Have try out dis stew and it was amazing , secondly was trying to make de fried stew but it end up like de first method pls help me out
The basic Principe of frying stew is to use loads of oil (that makes me cringe), since the stew base has little to no water, it will take a little bit more time for oil to pass through it.
Here is how to fry the sauce: put 1-2 cups of oil in a pan, add 2 cups of base and half cup water. fry on medium-high heat stirring on occasion. skim off excess oil when done.
Let me know if this helps
God bless you for sharing things like this. My oven has baking and grilling option which of them am I suppose to use. Tnk u
amen amen. Bake for the hour and then 5-10 minutes to grill the top
Thanks alot
Anytime
So I finally did it, forgive me I’m a student with limited time and funds. I baked it, and timed it too, for exactly an hour and while that was happening, I was boiling turkey and mannnn….wommaannn..aunty….I absolutely love your method. Seriously, patent it oh because the last thing I want to see is some person a la Jamie Oliver or even worse Iggy Azalea columbusing this your recipe and “introducing” stew base to the world (eye roll).
Honestly, this saved so much time and cleaning. I had canned tomatoes so all I roasted were one tatashe (red ball peppers), 3 rodo (habanero peppers) and one onion (cut up into chunks). Then I blended the roasted darlings with the canned tomatoes and like someone said, it was so rich. The previous method of blending then boiling left a suspension/colloid like mixture (watery stew on top, thick stew on the bottom) but this was perfect. Ehn ehn…consistency was the word I was looking for. It truly was beautiful and the aroma…chaiiii, even Beethoven could have composed something to it. So yes, I shall be repeating this process for all stew-required dishes, including efo (oh my gosh, it would go really well with efo because of its richness).
Oh last part, I heated up a pot, added palm oil (I just poured a sizeable amount–sorry for the image– a good fiberous product length), I let the palm oil heat up just a bit then I added the blended magicness. That was another heaven. It smelled like ata dindin or even ayamashe’s second cousin. But yes, 9jafoodie I hail oh. Ever considered a takeout/carryout franchise (preferably around college campuses–HBCUs in particular -wink-wink-)?
This has to be my favorite comment of the year, I couldn’t stop laughing. I am very glad you enjoyed the recipe, I shall contact a patent lawyer. LOL.
Please stop by more often.
I normally don’t drop comment but I have to this time, the roasting of the ingredients makes sense and would so greatly reduce time for fried stew which take ages as the water is from the peppers are already dried up in the oven, well done sis, can’t wait to try it
It does! do try it :)
Just tried this recipe. Simply awesome. Thanks for sharing. Will add pictures next time
awesome. we are glad you enjoyed it
aww!! this is genius. definately gonna try it out
It’s amazing
Your website is amazing. I’m roasting all the veggies and the meat in the oven right now and our home smells like my grandma is cooking outside in the village. It’s such a blessing to have stumbling on 9jafoodie and this recipe. I’m especially happy that the recipe doesn’t call for frying anything really and I can enjoy village stew :) Thank you!!
You are most welcome!
This recipe is live! I am so trying it out (totally hate the whole blending then boiling process). Just want to ask; how do you broil if your oven only has a bottom burner?
whoop! you cant broil without top burner. don’t sweat it though, the recipe still works just fine.
bummer. :(. But, i’ll live :)
When roasting d tomatoes, do I need to remove d seeds?
No you do not
This has been my go-to method for making stew since the day u lay my eyes on this recipe. The thought of not having to boil the splattering blended tomato is like a breath of fresh air. The stew not only cooks faster, it looks smoother and richer anf the roasted scent the vegetables give to the stew is just amazing.
I personally love cinnamon and basil, and recently started adding a bit of both to my stew (different taste) and with this new method,its delicious.
Thanks for the review Omi. We are happy you enjoy the recipe.
Love love love the idea of roasting the peppers. I can imagine the distinct flavor that adds to the stew. Definitely making stew using the recipe this weekend.
Awesome! let us know how it goes.
Hmmmm…..love new recipes to bits because I easily get bored of same old taste. A little strange but thats me☺️Now I’ve got a new recipe for the weekend! Great!!:-) Thanks!!!
You are welcome
Wow, I tried this and my stew turned out perfect!! I never thought it was possible to make stew without all that boiling first splatter. I ended up making two pots of stew :-)
Thanks so much for the post!
That’s great!
I always use plum tomatoes in cans. Can I use it with this method?
You can add that at the blending stage.
Just tried this OMG fantastic
yeii!
I don’t have an oven.so,what can I use Instead to roast the ingredients?
You have two options, either place the chopped ingredients in a pot and boil briefly, strain then puree (you will get a thick paste) or put the ingredients in a bowl, cover with boiled water, strain and puree (perfect texture as well). i will say that the taste isn’t the same as the roasted peppers but at least you don’t have to boil.
Hey,
When you roasting, Is it the same thing as baking? My oven key are either bake or broil. Help!!
yes it is. The bake function to roast, broil function to char.
Thanks!
Hello…new reader here. I made this recipe today and it was incredible. Thank you for sharing. I followed the recipe precisely, with great results. I did have to roast my peppers for a little over one hour but other than that it came together really well. My ideal kind of recipe: simple ingredients, simple prep and just plain delicious food in a short amount of time. It was so good, I got carried away and ended up making more than the stew…made Jollof rice, beans, Peppered chicken, and peppered ribs. :) Thank you…off to read some more of your recipes. More grease to your elbows.
na wa for you o, Fofster, all those mouth watering meals you made! i was salivating after reading your post. I’m on a low- carb diet for now but i’m a meat lover so I will allow myself to fantasise on your peppered chicken & ribs. LOL…
Meat is carb free :D peppered chicken with a side of salad.
WOW… excellent feedback. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. Please send me some of the delicious meals you made. The sauce is so versatile and the color and consistency is just amazing.
Thank you so much.
Pls what do u mean by broiling? And what part of the oven do you lite? is it the top or the bottom part? Thank you
Just at the end of roasting, I switch on the top of my over for about 5 minutes.
Wow, this sounds great, always wanted to this on my own, thanks so much!! :)
you are most welcome
Ronke, Wow! What a coincidence. We both made stew and yours look really appetizing. Roasting the vegetables before blending-Brilliant idea! I cannot wait to try it out. Thanks for sharing!
Great minds dear… do let me know how it turns out.
Am sure going to try this as i hate all the splatter that occurs while making stew.
Thanks for the great tip.
Great!! let me know how it turns out
Excellent idea Latoya, create/write/publish a book. Cooking book, recipe book, children’s book. Even if na “Foods of Naija” (Humans of New York style) I will buy.
awww…. Thanks! working on the recipe book
Can u please mail me out a recipe book…
Sorry?
Can’t wait to try this very brilliant idea. Tomorrow?? Roasted stew it is. Thank you Thank you #big hug.
Great! Remember to tag us on instagram or facebook.
Very smart one. I love this
:)
I done this a few times and absolutely LOVE it! Like you we’re not really into cooking stew down much and just go for small batches but the smell of roasted tomatoes, pepper and onions is absolutely divine!! I’ve sometimes added a couple of other veggies in as well and pureed it all together to give it additional flavour. Good stuff!
The smell is definitely amazing!
After so many years in Europe now still nothing else can beet our naija stew, but there’re this sun tried tomatoes, peppers and onions adding them to the fresh ones gives you an enome taste the tested youjust can never forget, type of meat is alway your choice, but the result is ummmm! As you all know stew goes with a lot of food stioffs like yam , beans and dodos, all sort of pastas are great on it, I usually cook a lot of it and freeze it, because of work pressure so the daily are covered one week or the other, all additional kinds vegetables must be cooked fresh to retain the Good vitamins, the family loved it! Try it out!!
will do
enhe! 9jafoodie, na now you come. this your nigerian stew grab me well-well. Oven roasted peppers & tomatoes? this one na millenium dimension o!. But as Hauwa asked, how else can you roast if you dont have an oven?
lol.lol. na now i come oh. errrmm this no oven thing pass my power oh. It could be roasted over open flames though (i am thinking aro – firewood pit)
Nice one, will experiment on it soon!
Great!
Great idea dearie. But have got a question 2 ask, wot if I don’t have an oven, wot other method can u suggest for roasting the ingredient.(Tomato nd pepper)
errrmm this no oven thing pass my power oh. It could be roasted over open flames though (i am thinking aro – firewood pit). You can also try the steam method though. either place the chopped ingredients in a pot and boil briefly, strain then puree (you will get a thick paste) or put the ingredients in a bowl, cover with boiled water, strain and puree (perfect texture as well). i will say that the taste isn’t the same as the roasted peppers but at least you don’t have to boil.
If you have a microwave, you can use your microwave oven!
Sounds great. Wish i could do it but with my 2 big custard bucketful of tomato i use for my stews, boiling will be far more convinient.
You can use a roasting pan for a big batch. see the recipe note.
For a large quantity of tomatoes, I blend and boil for a few minutes. Then use a colander to strain for like 10minutes. Just pour slowly into the colander so the tomatoes won’t pass through but only water. Then I also fry it in the microwave by simply adding a little oil, pour the combo in a large bowl and bake for 15minutes!
Thanks for the addition
haa!!! atlast i can drop my comment since i have been battling with this but thank God am able to. firstly i want to say a big thank you for this work of yours i pray God will empower you to do more. i love to cook alt even though i dont know how to eat but i love all your recipes. now my question is i have an soon which am to prepare puff puff for 500 guest pls how do i go about this i have been doing it but not as large as 500 guest and it will be inform of chops. how many tsp of yeast is required for 1paint rubber that is 3kg and sugar. thanks
Totally trying this. Will let you know how it goes.
Please do
This is pure genius!! Can’t wait to try this..
Yeii! let us know how it goes
9jafoodie, you are too much. Although I don’t usually drop comments, I follow you like the hair on your neck. Thanks for the awesome recipes. You are too much. When is the cookbook coming out
awwww.. thank you so much. cookbook is in the works! 2015 is the year BGG.
Roasting and pureeing the veggies sounds genius. Can’t wait to try that next time.
great!! let us know how it turns out