Beef Shin Efo Riro with Prawns, Smoked Fish and Two Greens

Method

1. Put the beef shin in a 18 cm pot with a quarter of the onion (sliced), the thyme, curry powder, half the stock cubes and half the salt. Cover and let it sweat on medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the water and simmer, partly covered, on medium-low heat for 1 h 20 min, until the meat is very tender and the connective tissue has turned soft and sticky.

   Add in this stepBeef shin, in 4 cm pieces 300 gOnions (split: for the beef, the blend and frying) ¼Dried thyme ½ tspCurry powder ½ tspStock cubes ½Salt to tasteWater for the beef 700 ml

   medium heat→medium-low heat

2. Heat a dry heavy frying pan on high heat and char the bell peppers and scotch bonnet for 10 min, turning, until blistered and blackened in patches; this gives the sauce a smoky sweetness. Let them cool slightly, remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers, and blend with half the onion and a splash of water until coarse. Wash your hands after handling the scotch bonnet.

   Add in this stepRed bell peppers (tatashe) 1½Scotch bonnet pepper (ata rodo) ½Onions (split: for the beef, the blend and frying) ½

   high heat

3. Bring a pot of water to the boil on high heat. Blanch the kale, cut in thin strips, for 2 min, adding the chopped spinach for the last 20 seconds, then drain, cool under cold water and squeeze very dry by the handful. Skin, bone and flake the smoked fish, soak it in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain.

   Add in this stepKale (or ugu leaves), tough stems removed 100 gFresh spinach 400 gSmoked fish (catfish or mackerel) 100 g

   high heat

4. Lift the beef out of the pot. Boil the stock hard on high heat for 6 min, until reduced to about a third; this concentrated stock gives the sauce body and depth.

   high heat

5. Heat the palm oil in a 22 cm pot on medium heat for about 2 min, until melted and fragrant but not smoking. Add the rest of the onion, thinly sliced, and the iru and fry for 2 min.

   Add in this stepRed palm oil 3 tbspOnions (split: for the beef, the blend and frying) ¼Iru (fermented locust beans), rinsed 1½ tsp

   medium heat

6. Add the pepper blend and the reduced stock and fry on medium heat for 14 min, stirring often, until the sauce is thick, deep red and the oil floats on top. Stir in the crayfish, the remaining stock cubes and salt to taste.

   Add in this stepGround dried crayfish 2 tbspStock cubes ½Salt to taste

   medium heat

7. Add the beef, smoked fish and prawns, stir gently and simmer on medium-low heat for 3 min, just until the prawns turn pink and opaque all the way through; overcooked prawns turn rubbery.

   Add in this stepRaw prawns, peeled and deveined 120 g

   medium-low heat

8. Fold in the squeezed greens and cook uncovered on low heat for 2 min, until hot and glossy but still vivid green. Serve at once with pounded yam, eba or white rice.

   low heat