Ndolé (Cameroonian Peanut and Greens Stew with Prawns and Beef)

Ingredients

• 400 g beef stewing steak, diced
• 250 g raw king prawns, peeled
• 200 g roasted peanuts
• 400 g spinach
• 200 g kale
• 2 onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 20 g fresh root ginger
• 1 beef stock cube
• 8 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 ripe plantain

Method

1. 1

   Put the beef in a pan with half an onion, chopped, 2 crushed garlic cloves, half the grated ginger, the crumbled stock cube and 600ml water. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes until tender.

2. 2

   Blitz the peanuts (unsalted if you can get them) with 300ml water to a smooth paste. Stir into the beef pan and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch, until it thickens and looks creamy.

3. 3

   Ndolé is made with bitterleaf, sold dried in African grocers; spinach with finely shredded kale gives the closest supermarket result. Strip the kale from its stalks, shred it finely and stir into the pot with the roughly chopped spinach. Simmer for 10 minutes and season.

4. 4

   Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan, add the second onion, sliced, and the remaining garlic and ginger and fry for 4 minutes. Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes until pink all the way through, then tip the prawns and oil over the stew.

5. 5

   Peel the plantains and slice on the diagonal. Fry in the remaining oil for 2-3 minutes each side until golden, and drain on kitchen paper.

6. 6

   Serve the ndolé in bowls with the fried plantain.