Nigerian Vegetable Sauce (Ugu Sauce)

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Palm oil (For frying)
• 1.5 cup Pepper mix (Roughly blended tomatoes, bell peppers (tatashe), cayenne peppers (shombo), onions, and habanero peppers)
• 0.5 lb Beef (Cooked and bite-sized; can include cow skin (ponmo))
• 1 cup Smoked fish (Deboned and flaked)
• 3 tbsp Crayfish (Ground)
• 2 Bouillon cubes (Seasoning cubes)
• 1 tsp Dali Dawa (Powdery fermented locust beans (Iru))
• 0.5 cup Meat stock (Reserved from cooking the beef)
• 3 Hard-boiled eggs (Optional, for serving)
• 4 cup Pumpkin leaves (Ugu) (Sliced and washed)
• Salt (To taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the palm oil in a large pot over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Do not bleach the oil; just let it get hot.

2. 2

   Add the roughly blended pepper mix (tomatoes, bell peppers, cayenne, onions, and habanero) to the hot oil. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until the water content reduces and the oil starts to float on top.

3. 3

   Add the cooked beef and cow skin (if using) to the pot.

4. 4

   Stir in the smoked fish and ground crayfish.

5. 5

   Add the bouillon cubes and the Dali Dawa (powdery locust beans). Stir well to combine the flavors.

6. 6

   Pour in the meat stock to loosen the sauce and provide extra depth of flavor.

7. 7

   Add the hard-boiled eggs if you want to give the dish a more sophisticated presentation.

8. 8

   Add the sliced and washed pumpkin leaves (ugu) to the pot.

9. 9

   Stir the vegetables into the sauce. Allow it to simmer for only 2-3 minutes so the vegetables stay vibrant and don't overcook.

10. 10

    Taste the sauce and adjust with salt only if necessary, as the bouillon and stock may already provide enough salt.

11. 11

    Remove from heat and serve hot.

Notes

This sauce is traditionally served with white rice, boiled plantain, yam, or even swallows like Amala. If you cannot find pumpkin leaves (Ugu), spinach or kale can be used as a substitute, though the texture and flavor will differ slightly.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Nigerian
• Spicy
• High-Protein
• Dinner
• Healthy