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Ghana, Middle East and Africa · Kontomire Stew

Koobi Kontomire Stew with Ampesi

The full Ghanaian plate: kontomire layered with desalted koobi and smoked fish, extra-fluffy egg-bound agushi, served with boiled yam and green plantain (ampesi).

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time1 h 5 min
Soaking the fish+ 20 min
DifficultyHard
About servingsUndercooked kontomire (cocoyam leaves) makes the mouth and throat itch, so always boil it until completely soft. The egg in the egusi must be cooked until fully set in the stew.

Method

  1. Put the koobi in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for to draw out the salt. Lift it out, remove the skin and bones and break it into small flakes. Taste a flake; if it is still very salty, rinse it once more.

    Add in this stepKoobi (salted dried tilapia) or salt cod 50 g

  2. Wash the kontomire leaves several times and strip the skin from the thick stems. Put 3 cm of water in a 20 cm pot, add the leaves and boil on medium heat for until completely soft (spinach: 2 minutes). Squeeze firmly and chop finely.

    Add in this stepKontomire (cocoyam leaves) or spinach 400 g

    medium heat

  3. Ampesi: peel the thick skin off the yam and cut it into 4 cm chunks; slit the plantain skin, peel it and cut into 3 pieces. Put them in a 22 cm pot, cover with water, add a little salt and boil on medium-high heat for , until a fork slides in. Turn off the heat and leave them in the water to keep warm.

    Add in this stepYam (or sweet potato) 300 gGreen (unripe) plantain 1

    medium-high heat

  4. In a bowl, beat the egusi with the egg using a fork into a thick paste. The egg makes the egusi set into softer, fluffier curds.

    Add in this stepGround egusi (agushi) 70 gEggs (for the egusi) 1

  5. Warm the palm oil in a 24 cm frying pan on medium-low heat (no smoke), add the chopped onion and the pounded garlic and ginger and fry for until fragrant.

    Add in this stepRed palm oil 3 tbspOnion 1Garlic cloves 2Fresh ginger 10 g

    medium-low heat

  6. Add the blended tomatoes and pepper and the flaked koobi and cook on medium heat for , stirring. Cook until the sauce is thick and the red oil separates and rises to the top; that is when the sharp raw-tomato taste is gone.

    Add in this stepMedium tomatoes 2Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero) 1

    medium heat

  7. Spoon the egusi paste evenly over the sauce, cover and cook on low heat for without stirring. When it has puffed up in the steam and set fluffy, break it into large pieces.

    low heat

  8. Add the chopped leaves and the smoked fish in large flakes, fold gently and simmer on low heat for . Koobi is salty, so taste at the end before adding any salt. Serve with the drained yam and plantain.

    Add in this stepSmoked mackerel 100 gSalt to taste

    low heat

Cook's tip

No koobi? Soak salt cod overnight or simply double the smoked fish. Use firm plantains with green skins so they hold together when boiled. A few slices of ripe avocado on the side is the classic Ghanaian touch.

Cooking it at camp

Soak and flake the koobi and boil and chop the leaves at home; then with two burners you can cook the ampesi and the stew at the same time. Keep the eggs and fish in the cooler.