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A white round plate with boiled ripe plantains with kontomire and agushi stew and sliced avocado and a grey round bowl of kontomire and agushi stew.
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5 from 1 vote

Kontomire and Agushi Stew

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African, Ghanaian, West African
Keyword: cocoyam
Servings: 5 people
Author: Edinam

Ingredients

  • 6 large kontomire leaves
  • 3 tablespoons agushi seeds
  • 2 scotch bonnets
  • 3 medium tomatoes
  • 1 medium smoked mackerel bones removed and divided into smaller chunks
  • 1 medium koobi /akpatogui
  • 1 momoni small piece about the size of the square of a chocolate bar
  • 8 tablespoons palm oil more or less as desired
  • dried shrimp handful
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Rinse the kontomire or taro leaves in water, cut off the stalks (discard )and slice thinly. See notes 1.
  • Slice the onions and set aside.
  • Using a coffee grinder or a food processor, grind the agushi seeds into finer bits.
  • Wash the shrimp several times, to get rid of any sand.
  • Blend the shrimp with the scotch bonnets and the tomatoes until smooth.
  • Cook the koobi for about 10 minutes and throw the water away. Using a fork, flake the fish and get rid of any bones.
  • In a pot and over medium heat, add the palm oil and then add the momoni, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
  • Add the onions and fry for about 3 minutes and then add the blended mix.
  • Add a bit of water and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the koobi and then the smoked mackerel and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes.
  • Add the ground agushi, stir, and leave to cook. This should take another 7-10 minutes. Taste for salt.
  • Now, add the sliced kontomire, add about 100-200 ml of water, and cover the pot for about 3 minutes. See notes 2.
  • Take off the lid and stir the kontomire into the stew, making sure not to break the smoked fish.
  • Cook for about 15-25 minutes until the kontomire is tender and then turn off the heat.
  • Serve with boiled yam, cocoyam, ripe plantain or rice.

Video

Notes

  1. Kontomire can irritate the throat when not cooked properly as the leaves contain calcium oxalate. Some people are sensitive to raw leaves by simply touching them. If you have never cooked with kontomire take precautions. You can steam the sliced leaves before addding them to the base stew. Kontomire should never be consumed raw.
  2. The kontomire needs enough liquid to cook through. You may end up using less water but your final stew should not be watery.