LounjeLounjePlan my week

Garden Egg Stew

Also known as Garden Egg Stew (Igbo Style)

Garden Egg Stew is a beloved Nigerian vegetable stew made from the white or green African garden egg (Solanum aethiopicum) — a small eggplant variety with a characteristic mild bitterness and creamy texture. The garden eggs are boiled until soft, mashed and then incorporated into a richly fried tomato, pepper and palm oil sauce to create a thick, creamy, deeply flavoured stew that is one of the most nourishing plant-based dishes in Nigerian cooking.

Garden Egg Stew, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 medium white or green African garden eggs (Solanum aethiopicum)
  • 3 big ripe tomatoes, blended
  • 2 Tatashe (red bell peppers), blended
  • 2 to 3 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
  • 1 big onion, sliced
  • 3 cooking spoons of palm oil
  • 3 big handfuls of ground dried crayfish
  • 2 big handfuls of ground egusi (melon seeds) — optional thickener
  • 1 big handful of smoked fish, soaked and deboned — optional
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Boiling the Garden Eggs. Wash the garden eggs but do not peel. Place in a pot with water and a pinch of salt. Boil for 10 to 12 minutes until completely soft — easily pierced all the way through with a fork. Drain and cool for 5 minutes.

  2. 02

    Mashing the Garden Eggs. Cut the boiled garden eggs in half. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and discard the skins. Mash the flesh roughly with a fork — leave some texture rather than making it completely smooth. Set aside.

  3. 03

    Frying the Pepper Base. Heat 3 cooking spoons of palm oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and fry 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes, Tatashe and Atarodo. Fry for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until deeply cooked and oil floats on top.

  4. 04

    Adding the Egusi (Optional). If using egusi, mix with a little water to a paste and add to the fried pepper. Stir and fry for 5 minutes until the egusi smells nutty.

  5. 05

    Combining. Add the mashed garden egg flesh, smoked fish if using, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes and salt. Stir very well to incorporate everything. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the stew is thick, glossy and well-seasoned. Taste and adjust.

More main dishes