OFADA SAUCE/STEW

Variety they say is the spice of life and indeed it is. Imagine a nice plate of white rice with a lovely sauce different from the usual tomato stew, wouldn't that wow minds and water mouths?
One of Africa's finest is the ofada sauce usually eaten with ofada rice. The name ofada is from Ogun state in Western Nigeria where the brownish rice was first cultivated by a soldier who allegedly smuggled it from Asia.
The ofada rice and ofada sauce are usually a must have in many parties in Western Nigeria. However, we can not all wait for a party to enjoy this delectable sauce; so why not bring the party home?
This recipe is for ofada sauce. The ofada rice is quite difficult to get outside Nigeria so other rice species can be used as a substitute.

WHAT IS REQUIRED?

Green peppers (9)
Scotch bonnet (3)
Tablespoons of crayfish (2)
A handful of da wa da wa (locust bean)
Seasoning cubes (to taste)
Salt  (to taste)
Dried fish or smoked fish
Shaki (cow tripe)
Pomo (cow hide)
Palm oil
Onion.
NOTE: The ingredients are only guiding to the preparation of ofada sauce, add or subtract as desired.

HOW TO MAKE THE OFADA SAUCE

1. Wash Shaki/pomo and boil in a pot. 
2. Add seasoning cubes, salt, some water, onions and pepper to taste and leave to boil for 20-30 minutes.
3. Wash dried fish and soak in hot water or wash smoked fish and keep aside
4. While meat is boiling, wash green peppers, peeled onion, washed scotch bonnet and blend.
5. Pour blended mixture into a pot and leave to boil for about ten minutes.This depends on the quantity of water used in blending the mixture. The idea of boiling the mixture is to get rid of excess water.
6. Pour a cup of palm oil in a pot and bleach until it becomes light. To do this, one needs a well-ventilated kitchen environment to get rid of excess smoke, extra care should also be taken to avoid a fire accident. It is also advisable to cover the pot while the palm oil is bleaching for safety reasons.
7. When the oil is bleached, allow cooling for a while.
8. Pour washed and sliced onions to the oil and allow to fry on medium heat.
9.  Add seasoning cubes, crayfish and locust bean to the oil and fry a bit.
10. Pour blended mixture into the oil and fry until the oil floats nicely on the ofada sauce.
11. To make the mixture a little bit light, Add some meat stock.
12. Check for taste, if salt is required add some salt little at a time.
13. Pour assorted meat and fish to the mixture and leave to boil a little more.

Boil some eggs (optional) and rice, preferably the ofada rice and enjoy it with the ofada sauce.

Nice plate of ofada sauce and white rice

ofada sauce

ofada sauce and white rice