Locust Bean Stew (Obe Iru or Obe Ata Iru)

This month, we are showcasing one of the many dishes where ‘iru’, our A-Z spice of the month, can be used. Locust beans stew is a popular traditional dish among the Yoruba communities in the western part of Nigeria (West Africa). It is a stew that can be enjoyed with many carbohydrate staples such as yam, rice, and plantain (except swallows). Generally, fresh whole locust beans (iru) are used to make this stew. It is a very spicy dish; however, we have prepared ours with only two scotch bonnets for a medium to mild heat. We hope you enjoy having a go at making the stew!

Let’s get cooking!

  • Serves 4-6

  • Preparation time: 45-60 minutes (including cooking time for meat

  • Cook time: 40-45 minutes

  • Total time: about 1 hour and 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-sized red bell peppers, cleaned and chopped

  • 2 scotch bonnets

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 200ml palm oil

  • 3 gloves garlic

  • 2 teaspoons ginger, chopped

  • 4 tablespoons locust beans (iru)

  • 450g assorted cooked meat (goat, beef, tripe), cut into bite-sized portions

  • 3 tablespoons ground crayfish

  • 1 whole smoked mackerel fish, deboned and shredded

  • 4 boiled eggs

  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Blend the bell peppers, half of the chopped onion, and scotch bonnets in a food processor until you achieve a coarse consistency. Don't over-blend - you want some texture.

  2. In a large saucepan, heat the palm oil over medium heat for about 1 minute.

  3. Add the remaining chopped onions, minced garlic, and ginger to the oil. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

  4. Stir in half of the locust beans and cook for 2 minutes, allowing them to release their flavour and add the pepper mix and leave to cook for about 10 minutes.

  5. Add half the locust beans, cook for 2 minutes, then add the pepper mix, stir and leave to cook for about 10 minutes

  6. Add the assorted cooked meat and ground crayfish. Mix thoroughly and cook for 15 minutes, stirring at regular intervals to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

  7. Add the remaining locust beans and shredded fish and cook for 10 minutes

  8. Carefully add the boiled eggs to the stew and cook for 2 minutes to warm through. Season with salt to taste.

  9. Your stew is ready to serve! Enjoy!

Tips:

  • You can use extra scotch bonnets if you prefer extra heat

  • We used less oil in our recipe, so make sure to remove any excess oil from the top of the cooked stew. 

Recipe courtesy of:

https://sisijemimah.com/2017/08/11/locust-beans-stew-obe-ata-iru/
https://kscuisine.com/locust-beans-stew-obe-iru-or-obe-oniru/

Image courtesy of: www.sisijemimah.com