Sauteed Eto with kelewele

Eto is a popular Ghanaian dish made with yam and usually eaten as lunch. In a lot of Ghanaian ethnic groups, it is made specially on a person’s birthday. It has been a local substitute over decades for what many know as a birthday cake. Below is my unique recipe of Eto sautéed with vegetable and beef, served with my all-time favorite kelewele.

Serving 4 to 6 people

Ingredients

• Yam
• Palm oil
• 4-6 Eggs
• Plantains
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons of black pepper
• 10 kpakpo shito pepper
• 1 kg of chopped beef
• 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons of ginger paste
• Half a clove of garlic
• 1 small cabbage
• 2 medium bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons beef seasoning
• Salt to taste

Things needed

• Blender
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Bowl
• Ladle
• Sauce pan
• Frying pan

Read My healthy Ghanaian pancake recipe (with honey and lemon syrup)

Preparation

• First cut your yam into small pieces
• Pour your cut yam pieces into a pan and add some water until. Ensure the water level is more than the quantity of yam in the pan
• Add some salt to taste
• Leave it to cook for 30 to 40 minute. The goal is to ensure the yam is soft enough
• While the yam is cooking chop up your onions
• Pour them into a blender and add the half clove of garlic and the kpakpo shito peppers
• Blend thoroughly until mix is smooth
• Put your beef into a sauce pan and pour only half of the blended marinade/onion mix into it
• Add two medium cups of water
• Add some salt to taste as well as the beef spice
• Allow beef to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The goal is for it to cook until it is tender
• Check to see if the yam is ready. You can test whether the yam is cooked by putting a fork through. If it goes through easily you know your yam is well done.
• Once you’ve checked and its done, pour the water out
• Then mash the yam using a fork or potato masher
• Put the mashed yam into a bowl and set it aside
• Boil your eggs until cooked and set aside with the yam
• Once your chopped beef is cooked drain the stock into a separate bowl
• Place some cooking oil onto the fire
• Once the oil is hot fry your beef at medium heat
• After the beef is well fried place it onto a plate with a with a paper towel to ensure oil drains out. You can also use a strainer.

Time to make the Eto

• Take another saucepan and pour a reasonable amount of palm oil into it.
• Add the other half of the blended onion mix
• Put in 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• Add your ginger paste including some of the stock from the cooked beef. Put just enough stock depending on what you have to ensure your onion mix on the stove isn’t watery but still has a relatively thick texture
• Allow it to cook for roughly 8 to 12 minutes
• Add two table spoons full of peanut butter and some salt to taste
• Then add your mashed yam and stir until the sauce is well mixed with the yam
• Follow by adding your fried beef
• Keep on low heat
• Cut your cabbage and bell pepper and add them to the mashed yam
• Still thoroughly and leave on low heat for 3 minutes with the pot closed
• Turn it off and leave it for another 5 minutes for the heat to gently cook the vegetables. The goal is to make sure they still have a bit of a crunch.

Read A healthy Ghanaian dish for fitness lovers: Garlic buttered seafood kontomire

Your kelewele (spiced fried plantain)

Ingredients

• Coconut oil or regular vegetable oil
• Powdered ginger
• Powdered pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Black and white pepper

• Salt

• Cut up your plantain into small pieces
• Add all your spices
• Add some salt to taste
• Heat your oil on the stove
• Fry the plantain at medium heat until golden brown

Now serve alongside the Eto and boiled eggs.

Don’t have time to cook? You can order your favorite Ghanaian dishes from the following restaurants:

• The Chop Bar
• Eliza’s Restaurant & Bar
• ChopShopGh
• Azmera Restaurant