Ofada rice is a locally produced brown rice which comes with a unique aroma and flavour. It’s known simply as ofada rice, a name coined from the town it’s produced in. The consumption of locally grown rice used to be so low due to the number of little stones usually found in the rice but with more knowledge on the amazing health benefits, more people have embraced ofada rice as one of the best.
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The Ofada rice sauce is a tasty local sauce usually served alongside the rice. There are several types of sauces for ofada rice but the 2 most popular are; the plain ofada sauce “Obe ata iru” and the Ayamase sauce a.k.a designer stew (for this, you wouldn’t need the red bell pepper but lots of green pepper instead). It’s native to the Yorubas but of recent, it has become quite popular in most parts of Nigeria. A note of warning though, you need just a taste to get addicted hooked…..:D
Ofada Stew (Obe Ata Iru)
Ofada rice is a locally produced brown rice which comes with a unique aroma and flavour. It's known simply as ofada rice, a name coined from the town it's produced in. The consumption of locally grown rice used to be so low due to the number of little stones usually found in the rice but with more knowledge on the amazing health benefits, more people have embraced ofada rice as one of the best.
Ingredients
- • 4 Cooking Spoons Palm oil
- • 24 medium-sized Ata Rodo ( Red scotch bonnet pepper / Habanero pepper)
- • 10 medium-sized Tatashe (Red bell pepper)
- • 24 medium-sized Shombo (Red chili pepper)
- • 2 Heaped tbsp. Iru (Locust beans), Rinsed
- • 2500 g Assorted meat; Roundabout (Intestines), Sharki(Tripe), Kpomo (Cowhide)
- • 1000 g Eran Malu (Beef meat), Cut in chunks
- • 1/2 cup Crayfish. Ground (+ A handful Whole- Optional)
- • 1 Red Onion, Chopped
- • 2 Seasoning cubes
- • Salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation of the assorted meat and beef stock:
Step 1: When using assorted beef, it's best to take out time to wash properly. If you intend using Kpomo, scrape out the dirty inner part (which is usually Sandy & dirty) including the outer skin thoroughly. If you intend using intestines, turn inside out and remove the saturated fats there (most people keep it in though). If using tripe a.k.a Towel or shaki in the Nigerian local market, wash thoroughly.
Step 2: Rinse the Beef and Assorted meat with clean water and dice into small bits, place in a medium-sized pot. Add the seasoning cubes, Salt to taste, diced onion and 2-3 cups of water. Leave to cook till tender for about 30 mins. Set aside.
Preparation of the pepper puree:
Step 3: Remove the seeds from the Red bell pepper. Wash the Red bell pepper thoroughly with clean water including the Red Scotch bonnet (Ata Rodo) and chili, place in a blender and blend roughly.
Preparation of the Ofada Sauce
Step 4: In an empty medium-sized pot, heat the palm oil for about 10-13 minutes. This process is known as bleaching. Bleaching is best done in a ventilated kitchen to avoid being choked by the smoke so ensure you open all the windows if you have to. Once the bleaching is done, the palm oil would look more like vegetable oil.
Step 5: Add the diced onion, pepper blend and Iru and stir fry for 5 minutes
Step 6: Add the assorted meat stock including the Assorted meat and beef, Crayfish (Whole and ground). Taste to see if you need some more salt, Stir and cover the pot. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Turn off the burner and serve with Ofada rice
Notes
Ofada Rice preparation - (Click here for more about Ofada Rice a.k.a Abakiliki rice )
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 521Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 202mgSodium: 264mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 59g
Preparation of the assorted meat and beef stock:
Step 1: When using assorted beef, it’s best to take out time to wash properly. If you intend using Pomo, scrape out the dirty inner part (which is usually Sandy & dirty) including the outer skin thoroughly. If you intend using intestines, turn inside out and remove the saturated fats there (most people keep it in though). If using tripe a.k.a Towel or sharki in the Nigerian local market, wash thoroughly.
Step 2: Rinse the Beef and Assorted meat with clean water and dice into small bits, place in a medium sized pot. Add the seasoning cubes, Salt to taste, diced onion and 2-3 cups of water. Leave to cook till tender for about 30 mins. Set aside.
Ofada Rice preparation – (Click here for more about Ofada Rice a.k.a Abakiliki rice)
Step 1: One major problem with ofada rice is the presence of stones. This is the major reason why people are put off by the local rice. Once the stones are taken out, you’d have no more issues with the tasty local rice. So before cooking Ofada rice, take out time to remove the stones.
Step 2:Wash the sorted rice severally with clean water and place in a small pot. Add some water just enough to cover the rice. Parboil for 10 mins and turn out into a clean bowl.
Step 3: Wash the parboiled rice with clean water and turn back into the pot. Add some salt and clean water- Boil till the rice softens.
Turn off the Burner and set aside.
Step 2: Add the diced onion, pepper puree and Iru and stir fry for 5 minutes
Step 3: Add the assorted meat stock including the Assorted meat and beef, Crayfish (Whole and ground). Taste to see if you need some more salt, Stir and cover the pot. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Turn off the burner and serve with Ofada rice
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60 comments
Ofada sauce is different from Ayamase naa. They are similar, but different.
Just discovered your blog via Eya's wives connection blog. Kudos on the good job you're doing. I like the fact dat ur recipes are so easy to follow & they don't contain ingredients that are hard to find, especially for people who dont live in big towns like Lagos & Abj. I hope to try out this recipe this weekend, but before then can u tell me what's locust bean or iru, and is there an igbo name for it cos that will make it easier for me to find. Thanks
Now i'm confused :s atilola……..please enlighten me more
I love ofada like die!!! The first time i tried it was at a bukka in surulere. i still suspect the owner washed something inside because it was Finger licking goooddd.
Hi Dobby, from an Ijebu person where this food is from permit me to make a few corrections. You don't use tatashey with green pepper. Only green pepper. That is why it is called obe ata dudu because the sauce is dark and not the colour of regular stew. Curry powder is a no no because it is a local traditional sauce cooked my our grand and great grand mothers. They did not use curry.
Dobby! Dobby!! You go wound person o!!! My oh my, what an appetizing plate you just served up. Would try your recipe soon sha. Thanks for sharing
Hi Ogechi,Fermented locust beans is called Ugba in some parts of the east/southern parts of nigeria (Not the same as the 'ugba' Used in Abacha). It has a very Unpleasant smell but when added to soups or stews it takes it from 'just normal' to 'Fantabulous!!!'. In the north, its known as dawadawa (dark, and shaped like flat compact discs) while in the west, it's simply known as iru. Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot for the correction anon :). I ignorantly tweaked the original recipe by adding tatashey to avoid the heat from the Ata rodo. I've made the necessary changes though. Thanks once again :).
Lol! I bet it was. Do inbox me the name of the bukka so I can try it out myself :D.
Awww!!! Thank you aunty mo 🙂
Tank you for dis post bcos I ЂΛƔ£ been wondering wat is ofada rice now I knw is abakiliki rice.pls dobby can u mak a post on pancakes d american recipe and pls wats anoda name for buttermilk.tanks
I ate ofada rice @ crunchies in calabar and it was da bomb! Buh I noticed d pepper wasn't ground smooth! I hear it's suppose to look that way! Dis abakaliki rice is very suagry but what puts me off is d stones and d husk!
Nice one dobby dear.
Tokoni
i think iru is same as opei
Nice blog Dobby! Am impressed. I tried the efo riro recipe and i loved it. But the iru still confuses me. Is it opei, U̶̲̥̅̊ said its flat. And should i wash and blend it? Or just wash? Cos the one i bought was just tied in nylon, i didn't even wash before adding it. Pls explain better. Chidinma.
Sure anon, would make a post on American styled pancakes soon. Another name for buttermilk is whey.
Thanks tokoni 🙂
'Iru' as it's known in the western part of nigeria is simply fermented locust bean seeds. Its the 'Ogiri' yorubas use (click the link on the ingredients list to see how it looks like). Dawadawa (Flat) is also fermented locust bean seeds joined together and shaped in form of round flat discs. Its the 'Ogiri' hausas use in the north. Okpei is also fermented locust beans shaped in form of small black stones. It's one of the major ogiri's used in the east. They are all the same but look and are processed differently according to the different regions they are produced.
Yes iru is also Ogiri Okpei
Pls is there another name for the green bell pepper?
Please put up recipe for asaro. Also for jolliof rice with that unique jollof rice smell. Thanks.
Simply green pepper
Okay, would work on that
Dobby Iru is different from Ogiri. Ogiri is made of equsi (melon) and it is mostly used by the ijebus. Iru is locust beans as you rightly said. Ogiri is similar to opei in taste ( I use it too).
Now this is the HOLY GRAIL
ayamase is prepared with different ingredients; which explains its colour
Thanks for contributing Anon. Iru,dawadawa and okpei are used to add flavor to meals locally just as ogiri. Most people are more familiar with the word ogiri hence the qualification according to region, Do check out my post on "Ogiri" here>>> http://www.dobbyssignature.com/2012/09/ogiri.html?showComment=1387428037154#c7425669873719559139
Thanks bolaji
it sure is 🙂
lovely dobby
thank you rita 🙂
Thanks for this Dobby, I've always wanted to learn how to make the ofada stew. One question though, when you put the meat into the bleached oil do you add the meat water too?
hi Adaeze,
Yes you'd have to add the meat water also. Then leave it to boil for sometime.
Hi,thanks for this recipe.I ate ofada rice for the first time yesterday and it was heavenly.I also noticed that the iru looked a bit fried…can I add the iru first bfore the tatashe or just go with ur method?Joan.
yes you can add the iru before the tatashe.
I'm not Nigerian, but West African all the same, love this recipe and explanation/preparation.. as far as I know, Ayamase and Odada stew are the same, the only (visible) difference is the 'colour', Ayamase uses green peppers only, not the mixture of red/green, but cooking prep is exactly the same ;)..
Hi,thanks for this have been looking forward to learn this properly,so as to give my hubby the delicious taste of ofada rice,am surely cooking this by the weekend,muah much love,thanks once more
Thank you too Anon. Hubby would certainly love this meal 🙂
Tanx for dis site,ur recipes are amazing. Plis if I want to use dawadawa what is d quantity to use? Keep up d good work Dobby.
i medium sized dawadawa would do. Thanks Mary 🙂
Sorry Dobby I still don't understand,dawadawa is in a disc like shape,do I use one?
Yes you can
Dear Dobby,I made this Ofada stew today and my kitchen almost caught fire,was bleaching d palmoil,wen I opened the pot and saw fire,I had no idea what to do so I poured d pepper purée into the pot and d fire exploded and came to my face and I moved back in dat instant,please live a footnote for people incase they encounter the same problem,I am so greatful to God that my daughter was not in sight. D stew came out well though. Tanx.
Thanks alot for the feedback mary. Would add a disclaimer, Sorry about the kitchen mishap.
I love u Ada'm dobby.. Tks for d recepie… I felt like a guru and a saviour when a recommended your blog to an old gf of mine who was almost kicked out of her matrimonial home cos she no sari cook… Ur blog just saved someone's marriage oh! Well done sugar :*
hahaha!!! thank you Bede'm 😀
False! Ayamase and ofada sauce r same. Ayamase is ijebu style of cooking d sauce @ilola… Strictly green peppers.
Ate this @ crunches today and was blown away. Had to look up the recipe. Thank you so much for posting it. I hope to try it soon. Though am still confused about the iru since am living in the east, don't really know where to buy it.
You're welcome pwettylica. Iru is really not common in the east. You can learn more about it HERE
Great job dobby!
Immediately cover up the pot with it's lid when u encounter such.it starves d fire of oxygen nd puts it off naturally. Better Still,bleach oil wit d lid of the pot on.
Thank you chinedu 🙂
Thanks for adding another meal to my food list.
More Strength
thank you Oge 🙂
Thanks for ur effort Dobby I tried d offada stew and it came out delicious my family enjoyed it.
Thanks for ur effort Dobby I tried d offada stew and it came out delicious my family enjoyed it.
Thanks for the feedback Anon 🙂
Pls dobby s chilly pepper same as shombo???…
Yes it is
Dobby! God bless you o! I was such a poor cook before ehn! Chai! I developed an aversion for the kitchen claiming to be a career woman lol. But your recipes have made life so easy for me, especially now that my fiance loves food, I can delight him regularly with various meals culled from your site. Your recipes are so easy to follow, the meals almost always come out looking and tasting awesome, even my mum now comfortably leaves the kitchen for me to cook lol. Infact you are the awesomest food blogger ever!
Awww!!! Thank you for the compliments Hope. Glad to have you here.