Nigeria • Yoruba Culinary Heritage

Classic Ayamase Stew

Yoruba Green Pepper and Assorted Meat Stew

Bold, smoky and intensely savory, Classic Ayamase Stew combines green peppers, assorted meats, fermented locust beans and heritage spices in the celebrated Yoruba sauce traditionally served with Ofada rice.

PREPARATION

25 minutes

COOKING

1 hour 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 55 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

2½ pounds assorted meat, such as beef, tripe and cow skin, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 medium smoked or dried fish, cleaned, deboned and divided into pieces, optional
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
6 large green bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
3 green habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, adjusted to taste
2 medium onions, divided
1 cup natural red palm oil
2 tablespoons fermented locust beans, iru, rinsed and divided
2 tablespoons CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ayamase Spice Blend
¼ cup CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ground Crayfish
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
2 seasoning cubes, optional
2 cups reserved meat stock, plus more as needed

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Season the meat: Place the assorted meat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add one finely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, the seasoning cubes if using and approximately 1 cup of water.
Cook the meat: Cover and cook over medium heat for 35–45 minutes, or until the different cuts are tender. Add hot water in small amounts when necessary. Reserve approximately 2 cups of the cooking stock.
Prepare the pepper blend: Place the green bell peppers, green habanero peppers and remaining onion in a blender. Pulse until coarsely blended. Avoid making the mixture completely smooth and do not add water unless necessary.
Reduce the peppers: Pour the blended peppers into a wide saucepan. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until much of their moisture has evaporated. Set aside.
Bleach the palm oil carefully: Pour the palm oil into a completely dry, heavy-bottomed pot with a well-fitting lid. Cover the pot and heat it over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes. Do not open the pot while the oil is heating.
Cool the oil safely: Turn off the heat and leave the covered pot undisturbed for 10 minutes. Keep children away, provide good ventilation and never add water to hot oil. Open the pot carefully only after the oil has cooled slightly.
Fry the aromatics: Return the pot to low heat. Add half of the iru and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Fry the pepper mixture: Carefully add the reduced green-pepper blend. Stir, cover the pot partially and fry over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes. Stir periodically until the sauce darkens and the oil begins to rise.
Season the stew: Add the CaMasi Maison™ Ayamase Spice Blend, ground crayfish and remaining iru. Stir well and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the meats: Fold the cooked assorted meat into the pepper sauce. Add approximately 1 cup of reserved meat stock and stir until evenly combined.
Develop the stew: Simmer uncovered over low heat for 12–15 minutes. Stir occasionally so the sauce does not catch on the bottom of the pot.
Add the fish and eggs: Add the smoked fish if using. Make two or three shallow slits in each boiled egg, then place the eggs in the stew. Simmer gently for another 8–10 minutes.
Adjust the consistency: Add reserved stock in small amounts only if necessary. Ayamase should remain thick, concentrated and generously coated with its green-pepper sauce rather than watery.
Finish and serve: Taste and adjust the salt. Remove the stew from the heat and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving with Ofada rice or plain steamed rice.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Reduce the blended peppers thoroughly before frying. Removing their excess moisture gives Ayamase its concentrated flavor and prevents the finished stew from becoming watery.
The sauce naturally darkens as it fries in the bleached palm oil. Cook it patiently over moderate heat until the oil rises, but avoid scorching the peppers or fermented locust beans.
For safety, bleach palm oil only in a completely dry, heavy pot with good ventilation. Never introduce water into hot oil, never leave it unattended and allow it to cool before uncovering.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains shellfish from ground crayfish, fish if smoked or dried fish is included, and eggs. Fermented locust beans are legumes. Check the ingredients of any seasoning cubes and prepared spice blends used. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY