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Ikokore (Ijebu water yam pottage)
Ikokore: grated water yam dropped into a peppery palm-oil sauce to form soft, savoury lumps
Ikokore is the Ijebu people's own pottage, made in Ijebu-Ode and towns across Ogun State from water yam, the purple-tinged yam that grates into a sticky paste. Spoonfuls of that paste go into a pepper and palm-oil sauce and set into soft, dumpling-like lumps, so it is part soup and part porridge, rich and spicy. Smoked fish and crayfish are traditional; this meat-free version uses mushrooms for their savoury bite. It is eaten as a complete meal, often on its own or with a cold drink. Water yam makes the skin itch, so wear gloves to peel and grate it. If water yam is hard to find, white yam works but sets softer. Chef's tip: drop the paste in and leave it for 10 minutes before you stir; stirring too soon is the mistake that turns the lumps into a smooth paste.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb water yamisu ewura, peeled with gloves
- 2 red bell pepperstatashe, deseeded
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 scotch bonnet chilliesor habanero
- 1 onionchopped
- 5 tbsp red palm oil
- 9 oz oyster mushroomstorn, or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp locust beansiru or dawadawa, rinsed; or 1 tsp white miso
- 1 vegetable stock cubecrumbled
- 1 tsp saltdivided
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 ⅞ oz spinach (optional)or ugu leaves, shredded
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Method
0/7 doneStep 2: Blend 2 red bell peppers, 2 tomatoes and 2 scotch bonnet chillies with 100 ml of ½ cup water until smooth.
Step 3: Heat 5 tbsp red palm oil in a wide pot over a medium heat, add 1 onion and fry for 3 minutes. Add 9 oz oyster mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes until they release their liquid and start to brown.
8 minStep 4: Pour in the blended pepper and fry for 8 minutes, stirring, until thickened and the oil begins to rise. Add the rest of 2 cups water, 1 tbsp locust beans, 1 vegetable stock cube and the rest of ¾ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
10 minStep 5: Drop the yam paste into the boiling sauce in small spoonfuls, spreading them over the surface. Cover, lower the heat and leave for 10 minutes without stirring, until the lumps are firm.
10 minStep 6: Stir gently, add 2 ⅞ oz spinach and simmer for 5 minutes more, until the lumps are cooked through (no raw, sticky centre) and the sauce has thickened around them.
5 minStep 7: Serve hot in deep bowls.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ikokore (Ijebu water yam pottage) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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