Vegetable sauce (stew) combines fluted pumpkin leaves, tomatoes, spices and other simple ingredients to make a delicious sauce for rice.
In this article, I will show you exactly how I prepared the delicious-looking plate of rice and vegetable stew below and why I think this sauce beats the conventional tomato stew to a pulp.
You will also find this recipe on page 12 of the ultimate Nigerian cookbook.
For me, it has not always been just about foods; it has been a lot more. Last year I started talking about healthy Nigerian foods, how to eliminate junks from foods, heck! I even wrote an article about foods that fight heart diseases.
I doing all this I was only hoping for ways to incorporate healthy foods into our daily diet and of course, eliminate junk. We live in a continent where so much junk is daily served as foods.
I have always maintained there is a direct correlation between the foods we eat and our total wellbeing.
Making this vegetable sauce was amazingly easy, you can do it is less than 45 minutes, the good thing is that it goes with rice, beans or even boiled yam.
First, I am going to show you how to make a vegetable sauce for rice and then we are going to learn why this is more delicious, easier to prepare and a lot healthier than the alternatives.
Ingredients For Vegetable Sauce
Serving: 6
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
4 cups of sliced fresh tomatoes.
Sliced fresh pepper (To taste).
1 cup of sliced onions.
3 seasoning cubes
1KG of assorted meat.
Half teaspoon of beef seasoning spice
One big bowl of sliced fluted pumpkin.
3 spoons of ground crayfish.
200ml vegetable oil.
Salt to taste.
Assorted meat is a combination of different parts of cow meats (liver, kidney, intestine, tripe, etc.)
There are different brands of beef seasoning spice, you can pick any of them. With time, you will get better with your choices.
Preparation
Step 1
Start by washing and slicing the tomatoes, I recommend you use really fresh tomatoes; also slice the pepper, onions and set them aside in a plate.
Wash the fluted pumpkin and slice to a bit, the seller usually does this if you patronize Nigerian local markets, it is best to wash the leaves before you slice them.
Step 2
Parboil the meat with two seasoning cubes, beef seasoning spice (kitchen glory or any other), half cup of sliced onions, allow to simmer for 5 minutes, add a cup of water and cook for more 30 minutes. Add half teaspoon of salt and cook till the meat softens (this should take extra 10 minutes).
You should have a table looking like below.
Step 3
Set your cooking pot on heat, add 250ml of vegetable oil, allow to heat before adding the sliced tomato/pepper/onions. Allow to fry and dry for the next 10-15 minutes, remember to stir occasionally to avoid burning. See image below.
Step 4
Add the cooked meat, remaining cube of maggi, salt to taste, crayfish and stir, allow to simmer on low heat for 3 minutes.
Taste for salt, you may add another seasoning cube
Step 5
Add the leaves (vegetables), stir properly and taste for salt. Allow simmering on low heat for 3-4 minutes and you just made a delicious pot of vegetable sauce for rice.
I combined vegetable sauce with white boiled rice and served as lunch or dinner. You can also pair with either beans or yam.
In my case, I served with white boiled rice and added some fried plantain cubes.
Now My Comparative Analyses
Which do you really think is better, if you ask me, I would go for the vegetable sauce; not just because
it is easy to prepare; I find it very delicious and healthier than the alternative. They have also proven olive oil to be healthier than groundnut/vegetable oil.
At some point, you will start knowing the difference between these choices and how one differs from another. For me, it is not just about foods, they must be healthy too.
If you like, you can even omit the oil completely, just boil the meats, once it is soft, add the sliced tomatoes, pepper, onions to it, allow to cook together for 10-15 minutes, add the crayfish, etc. As long as you are using fresh tomatoes, it would taste very nice.
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Here is How to Make Tomato Stew
How To Make Jollof Rice
Tomato Sauce For Yam
Vegetable Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups of sliced fresh tomatoes.
- Sliced fresh pepper To taste.
- 1 cup of sliced onions.
- 3 seasoning cubes
- 1 KG of assorted meat.
- Half teaspoon of beef seasoning spice
- One big bowl of sliced fluted pumpkin.
- 3 spoons of ground crayfish.
- 200 ml vegetable oil
- Salt to taste.
Instructions
- Wash and slice the fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions.
- Slice the vegetables (fluted pumpkin) to tiny bits. Wash before you slice.
- Season the assorted meat with two seasoning cubes, half teaspoon of beef seasoning spice, a teaspoon of salt and cook for 30 minutes.
- Heat your frying pan, add 200ml of vegetable oil, once heated add the sliced onions, then the tomatoes and peppers. Let them fry for 10-15 minutes, stir in-between.
- Add the cooked meat, the remaining seasoning cube, salt to taste, ground crayfish and stir, let it simmer for 4 minutes.
- Add vegetables, stir, taste for salt.
- Let it simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve this vegetable sauce (stew) with rice, beans or yam. I decided to throw in some fried ripe plantain.
131 Comments
Wowoooo is very nice and loving. I even have the Ultimate Nigeria cookbook FIFTH EDITION
Hmmm.yummy am gonna try it
Can i use like green leave instead of ugu leaves? I have lots of green leaves in my garden. I made porridge yam with them and it was perfect. I could try them on this sauce. You have great skill here.
Wooow thanks for the recipe my dear…I’m South African and addicted to your traditional food.. sometimes go to Nigerians restaurant to buy food..now I can tried it at home.. Thanks. Thanks
Am definitely going to try this, I can’t thank you enough Chef Chidi, ure amazing. I bless God I came across your page one of my 2019 year achievement ??
Hmmmmmmmm, am loving this recipe o, but I don’t eat meat, can I use smoked fish to prepare this vegetable sauce for rice?
Wow, will really live to try it
Thanks
Thanks for this. It looks yummy. But can any kind is meat serve or must it be assorted meat?
Thanks for the Recipe. I will make it for myself and my hubby
Nice recipe, great teacher. I will definitely try this.
The food was bae! My family and I enjoyed it thoroughly…Thank you very much!
thanks alot I really love this page
Super Duper Site this is!!!!! Thumbs up chy.
Oh yea, I have been a fan of veggie sauce. The first day I tried it at home until now, my family won’t allow me be. Its healthy, easy to make and delicious.
If you add palm oil, it could be served with swallow.
Keep up this great work ma’am
Thanks for your wonderful method of preparing vegetable with olive oil .
I love it so much. I’m making it this weekend
Am giving this a try today, my husband loves vegetables so much
Thanks Aunty Chidi, I really love this recipe
Very good I will try it
I got this recipe yesterday and tried it this morning. Sincerely, you are the best when it comes to food. Your recipes are the best as far as I am concerned. God bless you Chidi for putting smiles on so many faces.
my mum in law is amazed at my cooking, thank you somuch, you are making me proud,new cooking styles all the way.
thanks for this receipe, it came in handy.
Wow.thanks for the wonderful recipe.is a healthy food indeed.vegetable sauce is always the best anytime anywhere.
I really love your blog, how do I make miyan kuka
Amazing but adding the crayfish last makes it so so delicious
The vegetable sauce is really delicious and far better than the traditional red stew. Thanks for proffering healthier alternatives.
Nice and healthy recipe! Thumbs up!
Wow really nutritious.
How that’s nutritious
Delicious and healthy vegetable sauce for rice, thank you for showing me how to make this.
I used a bit of butter and coconut oil. In the absence of assorted meat, I used smoked fish, then served with boiled yam. Mehnn it was the bomb!
Wow, I like this. I ‘ll try it today.
Thanks. Vegetable sauce has always been my favourite. I enjoy it more with couscous.
After using the recipe to prepare the vegetable sauce, the credit was taken from the chef… My Mon came downstairs twice for the first time to merry with us.
Nice dear, well prepared
Thanks for sharing
Hi Chidi
I am a yoruba lady and this recipe is similar to EFO RIRO, a vegetable dish we are known for. The differences are that palm oil is used in place of olive oil and greens (Shoko/tehteh) in place of Ugu leaves.
Other contributors above too have pointed this out.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
wow its really nice, i will try for breakfast tomorrow morning
I prepared it for dinner its so delicious….
dis is so nice and lovely! am just gonna try dis tomorrow! thanks so much
Thanks for the recipe,i will try it as soon as possible
This is interesting and lovely
Hello!! Chidi your recipes are superb and helpful. I will really try the vegetable sauce really soon. Can’t wait.
Thanks so much.
I cant’t wait to try this out.
hi, nice recipe but i also want to add that you could use more than just pumpkin leaves, my mum uses pumpkin leaves(ugu), green(alefo) and csent leave together for her vegetable stew together with the other ingredients u mentioned and also, she uses palm oil in place of any other oil and it usually tastes great.
YUMMY YUMMY
am very grateful ma,for this few deys I have learnt a lot..It was really nice.
I dnt knw if you have a school because I will still like to improve more in the kitchen.
Wow,nice one
I love the recipe will definitely give it a try . awesome
thank you for your wonderful recipe God almighty we bless you
Just discovered this site and I love it.pls how can I get your Previous recipes….u re really doing a great job
Woow just finished making mine it sooo wonderful, please friends try it and see thanks to you chy, but how can I cook the one for swallow MA?
Omg was thinking of making carribean rice this afternoon buh here is it again another vegetable sauce to make u want to eat..dnt knw wt to choose..thanks alot my ewa agoni was delicious and uha soup over the weekend buh the oha got stick i used ofo and achi
Thanks a lot. I want to buy the Nigerian Cook book. How can I get it?
Mopelola
Hello chy, pls I want to ask for your measuring cup. When you listed the ingredients you were memtiomimg cups of pepper, tomatoes and onions. Please can you show us what you mean by the cup. Thanks
i have learnt alot from u but i have a problem i dont know how to prepare sauce for white rice pls can u help me with d preparation and ingredient. thanks
Good job,will surely try it this weekend
Thanks a Lot ma. pls can i use coconut oil 2 cook. I heard s a very healthy oil. Thanks
Wow! God bless you for being a blessing to many kitchens. I love this vegetable source. I must surly try this out
Tnx Chidi, this is really wow! I MUST try dis… Tnx
Thanks chi, just prepared mine. it was a waoooh! God bless you.
As new as I am here I have learnt a lot Chi. More wisdom IJN
Pls ma’am where can we get cooking olive oil.
The picture of the food alone is so fantastic. Tnx for the lecture. Will surely make it this weekend.
Nice one dear, so delicious
Yummy,i prepared it today and my son like it so much. Tanx aunty chy for your delicious recipes
can I use palm oil instead of Olive oil?
Waooooooo, Chidi love u’r d bomb. This is rlly nice and yummy, I love cooking dis and wen Eva I make dis my husband eats more than he can take. Lollllll. Thanks anyways.
Please what kind of olive oil do I use or is it the normal olive oil people normal take to church. Please I want to know
You are just too gifted darling Chidi u are my inspiration. My cooking has greatly improved. My family is happy. Thank you!
Oh!!!mouth watering
You are 1 in a million Chidi. I prepared the vegetable stew and guess what! My family enjoyed it. Thank you very much and I love this blog of yours.
So inviting! Will try it out, am sure my hubby who likes vegetables will fall in love with it, thanks so much #hugs#
Been hearing vegee sauce bt don’t know hw, tnks so much for d reciepes
My hubby has bn asking me to prepare this vegetable sause but I didn’t know how to prepare it but now I know. Thank you so much I love you Chidi.
Very nice food you gat here. Just found out about this site and I must confess, am kinda addicted to it. Thanks dear Chidi.
Wow…I was confess on what to eat but not until i saw this Vegetable sauce two hours ago AND I’ve just prepared it now….I’m speechless because is soooo yummious
Chidi u are such a wonderful lady, u are a gift to our generation. I pray that God will bless u and ur family ijn.
This is a nice one, thanks
Interesting!!! Will definitely try it
You are just wonderful
I have try it so delicious
This is lovelllllllyyyy
Wow its so yummy so inviting I will try it this weekend
You are doing a great job. Weldon.
Nice one,I really love it.Keep up the good work
Wow!!! Dis is nutritious, u re really doing great job..kudos 2 u CHY
So yummy. Vegetable sauce is much more nutritious than tomato stewam I can’t wait to try this. Keep up the good work.
Chi nwa di okey, dis vegetable sauce is yomicous , thank u very much
Hello Chidi,you are such a wonderful and gifted lady.Your receipes are superb.I love cooking! More grease to your elbow
Wow!!!!!! It was reali nice I cooked it and my hubby enjoyed it. I used palm oil and I added iru. Chidi thanks.
I haven’t use pumpkin leave before, but green leave. I will try it with pumpkin leave this week.Thanks alot
I love the recipes but i dont understand some of the ingredients. I am married to a Nigerian man and i would love to cook some of these for him as a surprise but i dont understand all the ingredients. I would love to have your cookbook, but i dont have the money. My husband is in charge of the money so i cant ask him and surprise him at the same time. We have been married for a year now and i have not yet been able to make my husband a proper Nigerian meal and feel horrible. Thank you for your page it is a little helpful.
chy , chai! you are one in a million.A dream come through. God bless you and surprise your surprises in a ‘biggest way’. God bless you.
It looks good,I will try today,pls can I eat it with amala too.
Chidi, honestly you’re shading Nigerian women from cooking embarrassments. Pls keep it up, God will continue to help you. Can you pls share how to cook coconut rice? It’s a delicacy I love to learn.
I have really learnt alot from u, tanks so much and God bless.
So interesting…will try it this afternoon to surprise my wife
Thanks Chi
Wow!!!! Dis looks appetizing. Will try it tomorrow. Hope it can be stored in d refrigerator?
OMG! It’s so delicious, I tried it and it was wonderful,my hubby couldn’t stop eating
Thank you so much for all these recipes you teach here. May God continue to bless you for to teach more
Hmmm! It is a nice one. May God continue to give you the wisdom to make more, remain bless.
Wow!! this is good and im loving it right here in dis page..once again..GOD bless u real good.
Chidi you’re really doing a great job here! Isn’t there any need to add water to the vegetables sauce? Please advice. Daalu!
Nice one, i will try it today but please what kind of olive oil is used for cooking?
This is lovely
Wow wow,am getting more knowledge am hapi tnk u Chi
it looks deliciuos, ll defenately try it.
ll try it. looksappetizing.
Well am cooking vegetable tonight and am doing it your exact way. Don’t I just love this site
It sure looks good.I’m making plans to prepare it this week end
Nice one will definitely try it at home.
This is fantastic!I will try it soon.
Pls how do I make Zobo. I love ur blog, u r doing a great job.
Yummy… I love ur blog… Thanks
Wow! I really love this recipe. It looks so fresh and am gonna give it a try pretty soon. Thanks Chidi!
wow…just tried it and it’s so yummy and delicious
so nice I just prepared it for dinner.
I will try it 2morrow
Wao this is the kind of food i like kudos
I will ❤️ to be a part of this your wonderful group.
I love this vegetable sauce ooooooo i can wait to prepare my!!!!!!
Honestly, I love this recipe and will definitely try it this weekend. Chidi! Nice job you’re doing, more power to your elbow
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes this sauce is so yummy! I am going to try it as soon as I return to Nigeria. Currently I am on a business trip, thanks.
So yummy ,nice one
Trying this tomorrow hope I can cos I am diabetic