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Main course · West African

Obe Eja (Nigerian Fish Stew) with Boiled Yam

50 min Serves 4 ~676 kcal/serving ~£12.50 (£3.13/serving) Dairy-freeGluten-freePescatarian

Dietary and allergen labels, nutrition and cost are worked out automatically from each recipe’s ingredients and are a guide only. Check the labels on what you buy yourself — especially for allergies or coeliac disease. More about recipe labels.

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Ingredients

  • 600 g hake fillets
  • 3 red peppers
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 1 scotch bonnet chilli
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 10 g fresh root ginger
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 7 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 800 g white yam, peeled and cubed

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories
676 kcal
Protein
32.6 g
Carbohydrate
69.3 g
of which sugars
13.4 g
Fat
27.8 g
of which saturates
2.7 g
Fibre
13.2 g
Salt
0.43 g

Estimated from typical values for each ingredient — a guide, not a substitute for the label on what you actually buy.

Method

  1. 1

    Cut the hake into large pieces, season with salt, half the curry powder and half the thyme. (Croaker or mackerel are the usual Nigerian choices; any firm fish works.)

  2. 2

    Blend the red peppers, chopped tomatoes, 1 onion, the scotch bonnet, garlic and ginger, then boil in a wide pan for 10 minutes until reduced and thick.

  3. 3

    Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the fish for 2 minutes each side until golden; it will finish cooking in the stew. Lift out carefully.

  4. 4

    Heat the remaining oil in a large pan, fry the second onion, sliced, for 4 minutes, then add the reduced pepper blend with the remaining curry powder and thyme. Fry for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the oil floats on top. Season with salt.

  5. 5

    Meanwhile, boil the yam in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender, then drain. (Floury potatoes are the swap.)

  6. 6

    Slide the fish into the stew, spoon the sauce over, cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes until opaque and flaking. Serve with the boiled yam.

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