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Meat, Africa and overseas

Ofada stew with beef and rice

Ofada stew is a thick Nigerian sauce made from green peppers, chili and beef, served with white rice and hard boiled eggs. For 4 people, it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, at a medium difficulty level, for around €4 per person. The key to success is cooking the sauce long enough for the oil to rise back to the surface.

Tonight, Nigeria's green pepper sauce, ofada stew, with beef, peppers, hard boiled eggs and white rice to soak it all up.

Ofada stew with beef and rice
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Ofada stew gets its character from its deep green color and smoky, almost grilled flavor, which comes from slow cooking the pepper and chili sauce over high heat. The texture is thick and rustic, nothing like a classic tomato sauce. Tender beef and hard boiled eggs add substance, while the white rice soaks everything up without ever hiding the sauce's flavor.

This is a dish to plan for a Sunday or any evening when you have time to let it simmer without rushing, since the long cooking time makes all the difference. It's best suited to adults who enjoy bold, spicy sauces, as kids can sometimes find the chili surprising. Mon Chou offers it as a change from the usual stews, with real flavor from somewhere else.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef for braising 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green bell peppers 4
  • Green chilies 2
  • Onions 2

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Pantry

  • Palm oil or peanut oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Mustard seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • White riceoften in the pantry 320 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the beef with one onion and some salt, then keep the broth. 40 min

    Cut the meat into even cubes for consistent cooking.

  2. Roughly blend the green peppers, chilies and one onion. 5 min

    Use short pulses on the blender, you want texture, not soup.

  3. Heat the oil until very hot, sauté the sliced onion, then pour in the pepper puree and cook it for a long time. 25 min

    Let the water evaporate over high heat until the oil rises back to the surface.

  4. Add the beef with a bit of broth, let it simmer, and hard boil the eggs in boiling water. 12 min

    Plunge the eggs into cold water, they'll peel easily.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water and serve it with the sauce and the eggs cut in half. 11 min

    No ofada rice here, fragrant long grain rice makes an excellent substitute.

Our tips to get it right

  • Don't lower the heat too soon while cooking the pepper puree, it's the fast evaporation that creates the signature smoky flavor.
  • Taste the chili before blending both whole peppers in, you can remove the seeds if you want a milder sauce.
  • Keep a little broth aside just in case, the sauce thickens quickly and can stick to the pan if it runs low on liquid.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for chicken or gizzards, simply adjusting the initial cooking time.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with mushrooms or firm tofu and use vegetable broth instead.
  • For a quicker version, use thinly sliced tender beef, which cuts the initial cooking step way down.

What to serve it with

  • Long grain white rice
  • Fried plantains
  • Cold lemon water

Storage

Ofada stew keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor often improves the next day. It freezes well, though it's best to cook the hard boiled eggs fresh right before serving. Reheat the sauce gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different oil instead of palm oil?

Yes, peanut oil works very well and gives a similar result. Palm oil brings a more traditional color and flavor, but the dish still turns out great without it.

Do you really need to blend the peppers instead of chopping them?

Rough blending gives the sauce its signature texture, neither watery nor chunky. Use short pulses to keep some body in the mix.

Can the sauce be made ahead of time?

Yes, the sauce can even be made a day ahead and tastes better after resting. Cook the eggs and rice just before serving.

Is this dish very spicy?

With two whole green chilies, the dish is bold but not overwhelming. You can remove the chili seeds to tone down the heat to your taste.

How long does it take to make an ofada stew with beef and rice?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in an ofada stew with beef and rice?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an ofada stew with beef and rice cost?

About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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