Obe Oniru – Locust Beans Stew

Obe ata iru is a local fried stew with a unique aroma and flavour from fermented locust beans, it’s tasty, easy to make, and usually served over boiled rice, fried plantains, and yam.

Ingredients

• 20 to 25 pieces meats of choice – beef, shaki, ponmo etc
• 4 – 6 pieces smoked fish
• 8 big tomatoes
• 5 big tatashe
• Atarodo – as much as you can tolerate
• 3 medium onions
• 1 cup palm oil
• 4 tablespoons iru, fermented locust beans
• Stock cubes to taste
• Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

Step 1

Gather your ingredients. I could only get small tomatoes and tatashe so I used more to add up.

Step 2

Wash the beef and shaki, add salt, seasoning cubes, one onion, garlic, and dry or fresh pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat. Meanwhile, clean the ponmo and cut it into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

Step 3

Halfway into the cooking process add the ponmo and continue cooking until meats are tender. Separate meats from broth, strain, and store for another use.

Step 4

Roughly blend the peppers, tomatoes, and 1 and 1/2 onions. Discard the fish heads, debone and rinse. Set aside.

Step 5

Heat up the palm oil in a pot over medium heat, slice the other half of the onion and add to the oil. Fry for about 1 minute.

Step 6

Add the iru (fermented locust beans) and fry for 1 minute.

Step 7

Add the blended pepper, cover halfway and cook until still has reduced.

Step 8

Add seasoning cubes and salt to taste and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Step 9

Add the fish and allow to cook for about 7 minutes to release its flavors.

Step 10

Now add the meats and cook for 30 to 40 minutes on low heat while gently stirring from time to time.

Step 11

Enjoy!