If you a world traveller or you like to try meals from various parts of the world, here is a recipe to try. The stew is called “palm oil stew” because instead of using the regular vegetable oil, you use palm fruit oil. This stew is a traditional dish in Nigeria and it is popularly referred to as “Alapa”, it is also highly nutritious because it contains a high level of tomatoes, onions, pepper and also Beta carotene which is contained in the palm oil. Palm oil stew can be eaten with rice(as seen in the picture), plantain, potatoes, yams etc.
You will need:
Tomatoes (fresh or tin)
Fresh pepper (scotch bonnet/habanero pepper)
Onions (red or white)
Chicken/ Fish /Beef/ Eggs ( anyone you prefer, I used chicken)
Palm oil (Palm kernel oil)
Salt
Maggi cubes
A blender
Cooking Pans
Method
Start by boiling your chicken, for this you need to wash your chicken, then put the washed chicken in a pan, add salt (as needed), add Maggi cubes (as needed), chop one onion and two fresh peppers( tip: use a fork to hold the pepper while chopping instead of your hand) ,add those into the mix, then add water in accordance to the amount of chicken you are boiling ( it is recommended that you let the water get just a little bit above the chicken in the pot), then put that unto your stove/ gas/ electric cooker and turn it up to medium heat for 15 -20 mins.
While that is boiling, take out your blender, wash your fresh tomatoes, pepper and onions, put them into your blender and blend until you have a smooth consistent mix. Once that is done, pour your mix into another cooking pan, put that unto your stove/ gas/ electric cooker and boil that for 10 – 15 mins.
Check on your chicken, you know it’s done when all the pink parts of the chicken look a more light brown. Once the 15mins are up for the tomato mix, taste it to make sure it doesn’t have a sour taste anymore. Take the chicken out of the pan but leave the excess water in the pan, you can fry the chicken if desired.
Next pour the stock (the water from the boiled chicken) into the boiled tomato mix, then put that back unto your stove/ gas/ electric cooker for 3-5 mins, taste it, if you are comfortable and happy with the taste that’s fine, but if not, then add a bit more salt and Maggie until to get your desired taste.
When that’s done, add your boiled/ fried chicken into the mix, then add your palm oil, let that boil for 2-3 mins and that’s it, your palm oil stew is ready. As mentioned earlier, this can be served with: potatoes, plantain, rice, yam etc. Enjoy.
