Cassava Leaf Stew — Print Recipe

Pounded cassava leaves cooked with palm oil, dried fish, and groundnuts into a rich, thick green stew. Sierra Leone's national dish.

Ingredients

500 g cassava leaves, finely ground (or frozen cassava leaf, or substitute mature spinach)
200 g smoked dried fish, deboned and flaked
100 g dried shrimp, rinsed
4 tbsp palm oil
1 cup smooth groundnut paste (peanut butter)
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, whole
2 Maggi or bouillon cubes
Salt to taste
1 cup water
Cooked white rice for serving

1 If using fresh cassava leaves, pound or blend them to a very fine consistency, then boil in salted water for thirty minutes to remove bitterness and reduce the natural toxins, draining thoroughly before use.
2 Heat the palm oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, add the diced onion and minced garlic, and saute for five minutes until the onion is softened and fragrant.
3 Add the flaked dried fish and dried shrimp to the pot, stirring for three to four minutes to toast them lightly in the palm oil and release their smoky, briny flavors into the base.
4 Dissolve the groundnut paste in one cup of warm water until smooth, then pour the mixture into the pot, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming as it heats through.
5 Add the drained cassava leaves, whole scotch bonnet pepper, and bouillon cubes, stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients, then add enough water to achieve a thick stew consistency that is neither soupy nor dry.
6 Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the stew for twenty-five to thirty minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the leaves are tender and the flavors have melded into a rich, thick sauce.
7 Remove the scotch bonnet pepper, adjust salt to taste, and serve the cassava leaf stew ladled generously over steamed white rice in a large communal bowl or individual plates.