Nigerian Beef and Tomato Stew

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim fat and cut 600 g beef chuck into 2-3 cm cubes. Chop 400 g tomatoes, 250 g red bell peppers, and 200 g yellow onions into large chunks. Finely chop half of the onions for boiling the meat, and reserve the rest for blending. Set out a blender, a medium saucepan for the meat, and a deep frying pan or pot for the stew sauce.

2. 2

   Place chopped beef, half of the chopped yellow onion, 10 g salt, and 150 ml water into a medium pot. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until the beef is fork-tender and yields a rich broth. Keep the beef and broth warm while preparing the sauce.

3. 3

   In a blender, combine chopped tomatoes, red bell peppers, and remaining chopped onion. Puree on high speed for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth without visible seeds or chunks. If the mixture is too thick to blend easily, add a tablespoon of water to help the blades catch.

4. 4

   Heat 60 ml vegetable oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Carefully pour in blended pepper puree. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every few minutes to prevent sticking, until excess liquid evaporates and droplets of red oil rise to the surface.

5. 5

   Add 60 g tomato paste and 20 g garlic and ginger paste to the reduced pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the raw garlic aroma softens, the color darkens slightly, and the base smells rich and savory.

6. 6

   Add boiled beef cubes along with all reserved broth into the tomato-pepper sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The stew is ready when thick, dark red, and shiny with oil. Serve hot over steaming white rice or boiled yam.