A rich, earthy stew made from finely shredded gnetum leaves cooked slowly with groundnuts, palm oil, and smoked fish, yielding a deeply satisfying forest flavour.
Ingredients
500g gnetum leaves (okok), finely shredded
1 cup raw groundnuts, crushed
200g smoked fish, deboned
200g beef, cubed
1/2 cup palm oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp ground crayfish
2 bouillon cubes
Salt to taste
2 cups water
Instructions
1Shred the gnetum leaves as finely as possible using a sharp knife.
2Season and boil beef until tender, about 40 minutes. Reserve stock.
3Heat palm oil in a large pot, sauté onion until soft.
4Add crushed groundnuts and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant.
6Add water or stock, stir well, cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with cassava or plantain.
Did You Know?
The gnetum plant is one of the few plants that links the dinosaur era to the modern kitchen, as it is a living fossil that has existed for over 200 million years.