5000naira

Nigerian meals under 5k

This stew serves two for a couple of days and can be made with five thousand naira or less depending on your location. You can adjust the cost by adding or removing some ingredients and protein sources listed. But here’s what you’ll need to create a delicious Nigerian fish stew for less than 5k.

Please note that to create Nigerian meals under 5k or other budgeted meals successfully, having certain ingredients like oil, onions and crayfish stocked at home helps to reduce cost drastically. But without much talk lets make our delicious Nigerian fish stew.

Ready in 30 minutes

Serves 5 people

1150 calories

Ingredients

• tomatoes and pepper (1000 naira)
• Fresh fish ( Hake or Mackerel) (1800 naira)
• Onions (200 naira)
• Vegetable oil (500 naira)
• Garlic and ginger (150 naira)
• Ground Crayfish (100 naira)
• Tomato paste (200 naira)
• Eggs (500 naira)
• Iru (50 naira)
• Kpomo (500 naira)

Preparation

• Start by blending your tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and ginger. I like to use fresh garlic and ginger because I find them more potent than the powdered or paste versions
• After blending the mix till smooth, pour into a pot and boil till the water is completely dried and the tomato mix is reduced to a thick paste. 

• If you are planning on using the stew to eat rice, which you most likely would, you should get your rice cooking alongside your tomato mix. I like to cook my eggs in my rice in order to save gas and time. So while parboiling your rice, just drop your eggs inside and take them out when you wash the rice.

• With your pepper and tomato mix ready and your rice underway, the next step is to fry your fish. Please note that frying of fish isn’t for the faint hearted, so you can opt for smoked fish if you are not used to working with splashing hot oil. You’ll still end up with a delicious Nigerian fish stew regardless of the kind of fish used.Have your fish all toasty and brown like this

• I also like to add some dry fish especially when frying my onions as it gives the oil a ton of flavor

• Now its time to cook the stew. Place a pan on medium heat, add vegetable oil and heat until hot. Add chopped onions, ground crayfish, dry fish and iru, then allow the onions to fry until translucent, stirring occasionally. 
• Next, add your boiled pepper and tomatoes mixture. Do this carefully to avoid splashing of the oil and bring to boil for about 10 minutes.
• Time for your proteins, add your fried fish, boiled eggs and kpomo. Also add your tomato paste at this junction. Season the stew with salt and bouillon powder to taste, you can decide to add garlic and ginger powder to reinforce their taste and fragrance in the stew. Stir to combine and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until you can see the oil floating on top of the stew.
• Take the stew off the heat and its ready to serve immediately.
• You can serve Nigerian fish stew with rice, yam, beans and even plain okro soup. 

Tips

You add spices like curry and thyme when frying the onions, as it not only adds flavor to the oil but makes your entire home smell amazing.