Nigerian tomato stew is one of the most popular Nigerian food recipes, it is easy to make and I would include this recipe on my list of “easy Nigerian recipes”,
Reason for this would be that the ingredients needed could be found in almost every part of the world and almost anybody can put up this stew in less than 90 minutes.
Recently I also made a video about tomato stew and I think you are going to love it. You can find it at the bottom of this page.
What you have above is a large bowl of tomato stew, every thing you read below is exactly how I made this stew.
I promised to take you through the guide on how to lose the sour taste of tomatoes easily. Most people end up with tomato stew that has soured taste, it is a very common mistake that can easily be avoided. I am going to show you how to eliminate that taste, at least the way I go about it.
Ingredients For Making Nigerian Tomato stew (like I always say, these ingredients could be doubled or reduced depending on the number of people you are looking to feed and their stomach size).
Ingredients | Serving 6×2
2kg Meat of choice (fresh chicken, goat meat, turkey or beef)
Ground tomatoes – 1500ml
Ground Fresh Red Pepper – 50-100ml
1 cup of sliced onions
Teaspoon of ground nutmeg
teaspoon each of curry and thyme.
Vegetable (optional)(curry leaves, pumpkin leaves etc)
Vegetable oil – 400ml
stock cubes – 3
Crayfish – 2 tablespoons (optional)
Salt to taste.
The image above is that of fresh tomatoes, pre-cooked goat meat, curry leaves, peppers, and about 400ml of oil
STEP1
Wash the tomatoes and blend alongside the fresh pepper, also blend the crayfish alongside the nutmeg seed (1).
Wash the meat (Goatmeat in my case) and parboil with three stock cubes, a teaspoon of salt, teaspoon each of curry and thyme, a teaspoon of kitchen glory beef seasoning and half cup of sliced onions (I like to use lots of ingredients while parboiling the meat and then use little or none while making the real foods, this practice is necessary if you want to end up with very tasty meats. Beside you can then use the meat stock [water from the meat] for the main cooking.
Cook until the meat is soft enough for consumption
STEP 2
Most times I chose to fry the tomatoes in a frying pan separately and then add it to the cooked meat in the pot.
Slice the onion and set your frying pan on heat, add about 400ml of vegetable oil. Add the sliced onions and fry for about 2 minutes to release the scent into the oil then pour in the tomatoes and fry (stirring occasionally to avoid burning).
stir and allow to simmer for two minutes after adding the vegetables.
This is just where most people miss it, have you made a tomato stew with sour taste? Something that tasted less than what you eat at the restaurants? You can correct that now.
The secret to loosing the sour taste is just by frying with lots of oil (which could be reduced after frying) and then the use of onions. Then you have to keep stiring for the next 20-30 minute, you dont wanna end up with burned tomato stew.
Fry till the tomatoes boils in oil alone. Then you can transfer the pre-cooked meat and add the spices, add extra stock cube (optional), add the ground crayfish/nutmeg and allow to cook ten minutes before adding the vegetable (optional and you are done with the preparation of tomato stew.
This is how to make tomato stew, it could be served as you see below or with yam, beans, I even eat bread and stew often – it is delicious.
Here is an old video for making Nigerian tomato stew, follow this step by step video guide I suppose it would give you a visual image of all the things I said above.
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Learn more about other Nigerian stew Recipes, you can start with Nigerian Banga tew (ofe akwu)
Compare Tomato Stew & All Nigerian Foods
How To Prepare Yam Sauce
How To Make Yoruba Foods
How to Make River state Native Soup
Comments
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February 7, 2015
wow I took it as an experiment and it turned out perfect….. good work chef………
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February 20, 2015
Kudos Chi But have you tried Red oil tomato stew, hmmmmmm very delicious that you cant resist.
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March 1, 2015
wow thnxx Ma, will try dat bt kudos
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April 4, 2015
This is nice though I use to add benny and chicken glory to bring out taste too..pls hw do I join ur site? I just Typed hw to make nigeria red stew and saw you, I dnt need to do it this way all d time. .Thanks Nwanyioma.
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May 10, 2015
I don’t think frying of food is all that healthy. I can’t remember the last I fried my stew. Of course I do sieve the water of the blended tomatoes and then cook with pot lid covered, Stirring frequently until the whole water dries up. Then add oil and cover the pot for sometime, add onions and do the same and then proceed with other ingredients and then the meat with its stock. The aroma is great.
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June 7, 2015
I just want to know how to make tomato stew with fresh fish only.
&&&&Updated by Chy.
There is really nothing difficult here. parboil the fish with all neccesary ingredients, fry your tomatoes and then add your spices, the parboiled fish and finally some vegetables. -
July 30, 2015
You are a wonderful cook. You have taught me a lot. Thank you.
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August 2, 2015
I don’t know why my tomatoes stew is never sweet after using chicken glory and mivina please help I know my fiance is not happy but he isn’t complaining.
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August 26, 2015
Please I want to know will it be possible to fry tomato without drying the water first?
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September 28, 2015
thanks chy,
keep up with the good works. -
October 15, 2015
d recipes were really nice can’t wait to try them…..fnks keep up d good work
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November 25, 2015
i just love the way you said it should be done, i will give it a trial. thanks madam
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January 6, 2016
Ma! This is a wonderful recipe. Pls how do i stem or boil the carrots and green beans? Thank you.
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January 26, 2016
Thanks a lot.Your site has really helped me a lot in my cooking.i recommend it to every woman who wants to be better in her cooking for her family. Thanks for showing me how to make tomato stew.
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August 13, 2016
This is just a wonderful coincidence.I jst finished preparing tomato sauce whc turnd out 2 b sour,then I grabed my fone 2 find my way out and I stumbled on ur blog.May God bless u 4 me.
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March 22, 2017
Pls how do i wash cow tail to get rid of sand o.l feel ao bad about it.Tanks
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March 25, 2017
I don’t really know how to make tomato stew and I believe with your help now I will. I am about to use your method now believing that the taste will come out delicious. I will come back when am done Lol.
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April 4, 2017
I love all ur cooking recipe
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June 8, 2017
I really appreciate ypur post ma’am,buh how do i join your page
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August 3, 2017
Ma’am I want to learn how to cook the combination of fresh tomatoes and tin tomato, Each time I prepare it, it always come out sour taste, I do fry the fresh tomatoe a little beat and then add the tin tomato