Vegan Nigerian Stew or Obe Ata | Buka Stew

I can already see the shaking heads and wagging fingers of staunch Nigerian foodies, but bear with me a second guys. My veggie makeover of this classic dish is just as jaw-droppingly good as the original. I promise!

And if you haven't heard of buka stew (a.k.a. obe ata or ayamashe), it's a pepper-based sauce with an assortment of meats (usually beef, tripe, goat meat and cow leg) cut into small, bite-size pieces and fried in palm oil. Go to any local restaurant in Nigeria and you're sure to find it on the menu.

This veggie version can be made using fresh seasonal vegetables or meat alternatives, while retaining the signature 'buka' taste.

Roasted mushrooms, soya chunks (as I've used here) or garden egg/aubergine work particularly well to replace the meat in this dish. If you're going to use tofu, try the smoked, firm version for a greater depth of flavour. I recommend cutting it into bite-size pieces and roasting it for 10-15 minutes before adding to the stew. Even veg as basic as carrots and courgette can be included if that's all you have lurking in the fridge.

Not sure about palm oil or unable to source a sustainable brand? Try using coconut oil instead.

Ingredients
- 3 large tomatoes or 1 tin plum tomatoes
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or two if you're feeling brave)
- 2 tbsp palm oil or coconut oil
- 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt to taste
- Meat alternative of your choice (mushrooms; plain or smoked tofu; aubergine...etc)

Blend the tomatoes, pepper, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper with about 1 cup of water until smooth.

In a saucepan or large pot, "bleach" the palm oil by cooking it for 2-3 minutes on high heat (warning - your kitchen might get a bit smoky so pop the windows open!) Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and whatever meat replacement you have chosen. Stir continuously until the onions start to soften.

Add the tomato/pepper mixture and thyme. Season with salt.

Simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the stew reduces slightly. Serve on a bed of fragrant rice, with a side of fried plantain. Perfection!

Jazz up your stew with a mix of veg

Try different meat alternatives

Simple but flavourful

BOILED PLANTAIN

Plantain is one of the top staple foods in Nigeria. As a kid, I would eat it for lunch almost every single afternoon after school. It was just what I needed to make the homework hour(s) go by painlessly.

I reckon the most popular way to eat them is sliced thinly and fried in vegetable oil to brown on both sides. And indeed, that's how I enjoyed them with my steaming plate of jollof rice this evening.

But if you're trying to live a healthier lifestyle then it's probably best to cut down on the fried version. Boil them instead for 20-25 min in unsalted water and serve with your favourite veg stew (why not try it with some efo riro?).

GROCERY HAUL #1

Woohoo! Is it weird that I get all excited about a bit of shopping? To be fair though, this isn't just ANY bit of shopping. This is shopping for a few favourites that will contribute to a Nigerian-tastic week of yummy food.

So, what have we got here...(left-right approx.)

- Garri. Plantain chips. Yam. Plantain. Scotch bonnet peppers. Sweet potatoes. Okra.-

ADZUKI AND GREEN LENTIL CURRY

Eating a plant-based diet has opened me up to so many new foods. The amount of variety out there is incredible. I recently raided the whole foods section of my local supermarket and picked up a bunch of random things I'd never cooked before.

Feeling pretty creative tonight, I put together this hearty curry.

Adzuki beans are punch-in-the-face tasty. The pint-sized, high-fibre legume is also packed full of nutrients such as iron, potassium and zinc. They also have one of the highest amounts of protein among the bean varieties.

Ingredients

(serves 4)
-1/2 cup adzuki beans
- 1/2 cup green lentils
- 1 red bell pepper (roughly chopped)
- 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
- 1/2 bag spinach
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp pure olive oil (good quality olive oil brings this dish to life!)
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed fresh garlic
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- pinch of salt

Boil the beans and lentils in the vegetable stock on a low heat for 45-50 minutes or until soft. Make sure the liquid doesn't dry out, add extra water if needed.

Add the red pepper, onions and spinach, season with the curry, thyme, garlic and salt. Cook for a further 20 minutes, adding the olive oil towards the end of the cooking time. (You want the olive oil flavour to be quite strong in this dish and using 'pure' is sure to pack in a great punch).

Serve with brown rice or slices of wholegrain bread.

SWEET AND SAVOURY SALAD

Salad to me means a whole lot more than a bunch of lettuce leaves and a couple slices of tomotoes thrown on a plate.

If it doesn't look and/or taste appetizing then I'm not touching it. I can't emphasise enough how much I believe that healthy eating needn't equal boring eating.

Here's a quick salad I whipped up for lunch today.Whether or not you think the salad below qualifies as good-looking, it sure does taste great :)  Check it out...

Ingredients
- Half a red bell pepper (roughly chopped)
- Handful of roughly chopped lettuce
- 1 tbsp chopped olives
- 1 tbsp chopped almonds
- 1 tbsp raisins or sultanas
- 2 tbsp sweetcorn
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Easy as that.

AVOCADO AND CHICKPEA QUINOA SALAD

I was trawling through the internet the other day and came across this recipe. I happened to have ALL the ingredients listed so thought I'd give it a try.
It tasted incredible. Here's the link if you want a treat for your taste buds : recipe

BROWN PASTA LUNCH

Nothing is more satisfying than a bit bowl of pasta with bright vegetables mixed in. Heat it up with homemade red chili-tomato sauce and you've got a winner.
Have you made the switch to wholewheat pasta yet?

PEPPERS

This is what I had for lunch today. As you can probably tell, I love my red peppers.
It is reasonable to say that red peppers form the foundation of most Nigerian dishes - mostly in the form of a stew or sauce.
Here, I simply sliced them up and fried with some spices, chopped onions and tomatoes. Then chucked them onto my plate of brown rice and added some lightly steamed broccolli to complete the dish. The perfect meal on a lazy Sunday afternoon.