Ayamase (Nigerian Green Pepper Stew with Rice)
A fiery, deeply savoury Lagos stew of green peppers fried in palm oil with beef and boiled eggs, served over plain white rice.
- Time1 hr 50
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.00 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 870kcal
- 60.2gcarbs
- 6.8gof which sugars
- 51.2gfat
- 17.6gsaturates
- 39.7gprotein
- 4.8gfibre
- 1.6gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Put the beef, halved onion, half the salt and enough water to cover into a large pan. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes until very tender. Keep 200 ml of the cooking liquid.
75 min - 2
Blitz the green peppers, chillies and chopped onion to a rough puree. Tip into a wide pan and boil hard for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, to cook off most of the water. Spoon off any watery liquid that collects.
15 min - 3
In a large pot, heat the palm oil over a medium heat for 3 minutes until it thins and smells nutty. Add the sliced onion and fry for 5 minutes, then stir in the locust beans and crayfish for 1 minute.
- 4
Add the reduced pepper puree. Fry on a medium low heat, stirring often, for 25 minutes until the stew darkens to olive green brown and the oil rises to the top and separates.
25 min - 5
Stir in the beef, the reserved cooking liquid and the rest of the salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the eggs and warm through for 2 minutes.
10 min - 6
Meanwhile, rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put it in a pan with the water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 7
Serve the stew spooned over the rice, with the eggs halved.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
