Nigerian Black-Eyed Bean & Smoked Fish Stew (Ewa Riro)

How to Make It

1. 1

   Soak and Par-boil the Beans

   Drain the overnight-soaked black-eyed beans and place in a large pot. Cover with fresh water (about 800ml) and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 25–30 minutes until the beans are just tender but still holding their shape — not mushy. Drain and set aside. Soaking overnight reduces cooking time and removes oligosaccharides that cause bloating.

   Tip: Do NOT add salt during boiling — salt toughens bean skins and extends cooking time significantly.
2. 2

   Season and Brown the Chicken

   Season the chicken breast chunks with a pinch of ground ehuru, a tiny pinch of salt, and half the ground crayfish. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with no added oil and dry-sear the chicken pieces for 3–4 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove and set aside. This step locks in flavour without excess fat.

   Tip: Alternatively, you can poach the chicken in a little water with onions and ehuru for a lower-fat option — reserve the poaching liquid to use as stock in the stew.
3. 3

   Blend and Fry the Tomato Base

   In a blender, combine the fresh tomatoes, red bell pepper (tatashe), scotch bonnet, and half the onion. Blend until smooth. Heat the red palm oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Pour in the blended tomato mixture carefully and fry, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes until the raw tomato smell is completely gone and the sauce has reduced and darkened. This step is essential — under-fried tomato base tastes sour and is harder to digest.

   Tip: Cover the pot partially to avoid splatter but allow steam to escape so the sauce reduces properly.
4. 4

   Build the Stew

   Add the rinsed iru (locust beans), remaining ground crayfish, and ground ehuru to the fried tomato base. Stir well and fry together for 2 minutes to bloom the flavours. Add the seared chicken pieces and smoked catfish flakes. Stir gently to combine, being careful not to break the fish into too-fine pieces. Pour in 200–300ml of water (or reserved chicken poaching liquid) to loosen the stew to a medium consistency. Add the half stock cube if using. Stir, cover, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

   Tip: Taste before adding any salt — the smoked fish, crayfish, and iru together provide significant umami and saltiness naturally.
5. 5

   Add the Beans and Finish

   Fold the par-cooked black-eyed beans gently into the stew. Stir to coat all beans in the sauce. Add a splash more water if the stew looks too thick. Simmer together on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are fully cooked through and have absorbed the stew's flavour. In the final 3 minutes, fold in the chopped ugwu leaves and shredded uziza leaves. Cover and allow to wilt from the residual heat — do not overcook the greens to preserve their iron, folate, and chlorophyll content.

   Tip: The finished stew should be thick and saucy — not watery and not dry. It should coat a spoon lightly.
6. 6

   Cook the Ofada Brown Rice

   While the stew simmers, rinse the ofada brown rice thoroughly under cold water. Cook in a separate pot with 640ml of water (2:1 ratio) over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 30–35 minutes until all water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and allow to steam, covered, for 5 additional minutes before fluffing with a fork.

   Tip: Ofada brown rice has a naturally nutty aroma and slightly chewy texture — this is intentional and desirable. Its lower glycaemic index compared to polished white rice makes it the preferred clinical choice for blood sugar management.
7. 7

   Plate and Serve

   Serve one generous ladle of the Nigerian black-eyed bean and smoked fish stew alongside a measured portion of ofada brown rice (approximately 80g cooked per person). The stew should be vibrant red-orange from the palm oil and tomatoes, studded with visible beans, fish flakes, and dark green ugwu leaves. Garnish with a small sprig of fresh uziza if available.

   Tip: For weight management and diabetes, use the plate method: fill half the plate with the bean stew (protein + fibre), one quarter with brown rice (complex carbs), and one quarter with a simple side salad of cucumber, tomato, and onion dressed with fresh lime juice and no oil.