How to Prepare Kontomire Stew

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 21, 2021 Tested

Curl up with a bowl of kontomire stew if you want to enjoy Ghanaian comfort food at its best. Kontomire leaves are also called cocoyam leaves and they give a slightly bitter to the dish. Don't worry if you can't find kontomire leaves— spinach is a great substitute! You'll love the slightly smoky, spicy stew that gets its rich flavor from tomatoes, shrimp powder, garlic, and habaneros, especially if you serve it with fufu on the side.

Ingredients

¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of palm oil or vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (18 g) of minced ginger
1 habanero chile, seeds and ribs removed, minced
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon (16 g) of tomato paste
2 ¹⁄₂ pounds (1.1 kg) of plum tomatoes, chopped
¾ cup (54 g) of egusi or raw shelled pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water
4 teaspoons (8 g) of African smoked dried shrimp powder
1 pound (450 g) of kontomire or spinach leaves, rinsed

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:
Building the Base

1
Chop an onion, garlic, ginger, and a habanero chile. Egusi stew starts with bold, spicy flavors so get out 1 onion and chop it roughly. If you prefer sliced onion in your stew, cut it into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) wide strips. Then, mince 4 cloves of garlic, 3 tablespoons (18 g) of ginger, and 1 habanero chile.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If you want extra-spicy kontomire stew, leave the seeds in the habanero chile.
2
Heat palm oil in a pot over medium heat. Set a big pot on the stove and pour ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of palm oil or vegetable oil into it. Then, turn the burner to medium and add a few pinches of salt. Let the oil heat until it shimmers.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Feel free to use any oil with a high smoke point. You could use canola oil, peanut oil, or safflower oil, for instance.
3
Add the vegetables and cook them for 15 minutes or until they're golden brown. Put all of the chopped vegetables into the oil and stir. They should sizzle right away and you'll soon smell fragrant garlic with ginger. Keep stirring the mixture every few minutes and cook it until the onions turn a rich brown color.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- There's enough oil in the pot to keep the vegetables from sticking, but stirring frequently helps them cook evenly.
4
Stir in tomato paste and cook the mixture for 3 minutes. Squeeze 1 tablespoon (16 g) of tomato paste into the pot and stir really well so it dissolves. Then, cook the base mixture for 3 minutes while you stir constantly.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- The acid in the tomato paste stops the onions from softening, so you're getting a deeper flavor by cooking the paste.
5
Pulse egusi seeds in a food processor into a fine powder. Egusi seeds are a really common Ghanaian ingredient—they add a great nutty flavor and they thicken stew. To prep the seeds, put ¾ cup (54 g) of egusi seeds into a blender or food processor. Put the lid on and pulse the seeds until they're powdery, but don't pulse them so much that they start to clump together. Then, set the egusi powder aside.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Having trouble finding egusi seeds? Don't worry! Swap out the same amount of pumpkin seeds for the egusi seeds. Your stew might not thicken as much, but the pumpkin seeds add a similar nutty flavor.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:
Simmering the Stew

1
Add 2 ¹⁄₂ lb (1.1 kg) of tomatoes and simmer the stew for 25 minutes. You can also add a few pinches of salt to season the base of the stew. Then, bring it to a boil and turn the burner down to medium-low. Give the flavor a chance to develop, so simmer the stew for about 25 minutes.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Don't put the lid completely on the pot—partially cover the pot so moisture can escape while the stew simmers. This is an easy way to thicken the stew.
2
Add shrimp powder to the stew and simmer it for 2 minutes. Once you've simmered the tomatoes in the stew, sprinkle 4 teaspoons (8 g) of African smoked dried shrimp powder into it. Then, stir it so the powder dissolves and let it cook for a few minutes so the stew absorbs the shrimp flavor.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Don't have African smoked dried shrimp powder? Just use 2 1/2 teaspoons (5 g) of smoked paprika and a few dashes of fish sauce instead.
- If you like a deeper, saltier flavor, add a maggi cube to the stew and stir until it dissolves.
3
Stir 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of water at a time into the egusi until it's a thin paste. Put the egusi powder into a small bowl and mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water into it. The powder will probably absorb all of the water and still be pretty thick, so go ahead and stir in another 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Keep adding water a spoonful at a time until the egusi looks like a loose paste.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Mixing the egusi into a thin paste makes it easier to stir into the stew without it clumping.
4
Spread the paste over the stew and simmer it for 5 minutes. Pour the thin egusi paste over the surface of the stew, but don't mix it into the stew. Let it sit on top and put the lid on the pot. Then, simmer the stew for about 5 minutes so the egusi paste sets up.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- If the stew is boiling vigorously, turn the burner down so it bubbles gently.
5
Stir the stew and bring it to a boil. Your kontomire stew is almost ready! Take the lid off of the pot and mix the egusi into the stew. Then, heat the stew back up until it starts to bubble and turns thick like porridge.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Again, you'll probably have to adjust the burner. Turn it up so the stew heats up faster.
- Don't be afraid to customize your kontomire stew! At this point, you could add chunks of smoked fish like salmon or mackerel. You could even stir in cooked snails.
6
Slice 1 pound (450 g) of kontomire leaves into thin strips. Check your local specialty market for large, green kontomire leaves. They're sometimes called cocoyam leaves, too. Rinse the leaves and stack them on a cutting board. Then, carefully slice across the stack of leaves to make strips that are about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) wide.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Can't find kontomire leaves? Don't worry! You can easily substitute a 10-ounce (283 g) package of frozen spinach. Just thaw the spinach and squeeze out the water before you use it in the stew.
- Some people like to cut away the thick stalk in the center of each leaf. It's totally up to you—feel free to leave it since the stalk gives a little crunch.
7
Stir the sliced kontomire or spinach leaves into the stew so they wilt. 1 pound (450 g) of konotomire leaves looks like a lot, but the leaves shrink down as they wilt. Add the leaves to the pot and put the lid on. Heat the stew for a few minutes so the kontomire leaves soften and wilt. Then, stir them really well so they mix into the stew.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- It's fine if the leaves darken as they wilt! This just means that they're softening, which makes them easier to eat.
8
Serve the kontomire stew with boiled plaintains, fufu, or your favorite sides. Now for the best part! Turn off the burner and scoop individual servings into bowls. Set the kontomire stew out with fish sauce on the side. The meal is great with boiled yams, plaintains, sweet potatoes, steamed rice, or fufu.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- If you have leftover kontomire stew, put it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.