Ghana – Kontomire Stew

by Verdzekov Bernard

Kontomire stew is a stew made from cocoyam leaves. This cuisine is very popular in Ghana and could be seen prepared and sold in restaurants and could also be prepared at homes since its ingredients are affordable. A cuisine is a particular cooking habit or character or style associated with people of a particular tripe. This particular cooking habit defines the people’s heritage. This is to say that, if you come across a meal like kontomire, you will automatically know that it is a cuisine that originated from Ghana. Kontomire is served with rice, plantains or boiled yam. You could have another accompaniment that you could love to eat your Kontomire. It is your choice. But the choice you are likely to make is the one mentioned above.

Ingredients

• Salt to taste
• Maggi 
• Kontomire leaves (cocoyam leaves)
• Meat
• Onions 
• Smoked fish 
• Fresh pepper 
• Groundnut (optional)
• Crayfish 
• Palm oil 
• Egusi seeds or melon seeds   

Process

• Chop your onions and blend some. Chop about 2-3 of them.
• Slice your meat, wash well, boil and keep stock. 20-25min
• Chop tomatoes and blend as well. you could blend with pepper. But make sure those who are eating the meal eat pepper. Because once you mix the blending with tomatoes, it will be difficult to reduce or remove except you change the tomatoes and blend another. And that will be waist of resource and money. 
• Blend your melon seeds and keep aside. 
• Soake your dry fish and scatter with your hands and keep aside.
• Wash your cocoyam leaves. To prevent itches, apply red palm oil on your palms or salt before slicing your cocoyam leaves.
• Grind your groundnut and keep aside.
• Boil your Kontomire leaves. Let it boil for about 10min. Remove and keep aside. 
• Put your main cooking pot on the fire, add your onions and fry. Add your tomatoes mixed with pepper and fry. Fry for about 10min. Add your scattered fish and stir. 
• Add your blend melon seeds. Don’t stir. Add your boiled meat and some meat stock. Add your chop Kontomire leaves and Cover pot and reduce heat. Allow pot for about 10min let all ingredients simmer well. Open pot and stir. Add sliced onions and ground groundnut, then stir. Add some more meat stock. Add Maggi and salt to taste. Cover pot and allow for 15min.
• Serve with boiled yams, boiled rice or boiled ripe plantains. Fufu could still be a nice accompaniment. 

Enjoy…