Ghana, unlike other West African countries, has very few popular dishes made with greens. However, there’s one green dish that has won hearts in restaurants and homes: kontomire stew – made with taro leaves and often served with white rice, yam or plantain. There are different variations of this delicious stew; everyone seems to use a unique version of the original recipe to appeal to their taste.
We have collaborated with Food Blogger/Photographer, Afua Aka (MBA), to provide her special, delicious recipe for kontomire stew and it is yum!
Prep: 20minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1hr 5mins
Serve: 6 Adults
Ingredients:
1kg lamb meat
2 packs of Kontomire (Taro leaves)
6 Medium tomatoes
6 large onions
6 cloves of garlic
15 Green bonnet pepper
10 kpakpo shito
1 Tbsp AP seasoning
1 Medium ginger
3 Nutmeg seeds
200g Melon seeds
200g Smoked shrimps
800l Vegetable oil
Preparation:
Start by washing veggies, meat and shrimps.
Steam the meat.
In a blender add 3 peeled onions, ginger, and garlic. Blend. Pour mixture on meat and season with salt & Ap seasoning in a saucepan. Cook on mid-heat for about 30 mins. Stirring occasionally.
Cook the cut Kontomire in boiling water for about 8 mins. 4 mins on each side. Add pepper but cook that for only 4 mins.
Put pepper into blender; add half an onion, 6 smoked shrimps and blend to a smooth paste.
Add oil to a pan on mid heat, allow to heat, then pour in blended pepper mix. Allow to simmer for five minutes.
Cut tomatoes and remaining onions and add to the shimmering pepper,stir. Add meat stock & whole smoked shrimps and allow to simmer while you fry the meat.
Soak mellon seeds in water for about 10 mins, wash, blend with water and add to a saucepan. Simmer on low heat stirring from time to time till water evaporates completely.
Add the oil for frying the meat to the sauce and stir. Then cooked melon seeds can now be added to sauce once the water in it has evaporated and the oil settles on top. Allow to simmer for a little while before stirring.
Add cooked Kontomire and stir very well to incorporate.
Add fried meat and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 more minutes.
Check for salt. Add a little more if you need to. Grate in nutmeg seeds, stir and simmer for 2 mins. Add green pepper for garnish and flavor.
Viola! Serve with yam, plantain, or rice.