In Nigeria,especially the western parts,tomato and pepper stew is a very important part of major meal times.Recently though,I have been forced to look around for a substitute for tomatoes.It is suddenly very very expensive.Some people say it is because of the rains.I wonder!
Anyway,few days ago,I found myself looking out the office window,not searching for anything in particular,then I noticed one of the vegetable vendors on the street and how he stacked the cucumbers attractively.I began to wonder what it would taste like in a sauce...
Of course I bought cucumbers on my way home that day!OK, more like a cucumber because I bought just one big one.I also bought cabbage and I paid N200 for both of them and they where a tasty and less expensive replacement for tomatoes.They even looked more luxurious!
The Making Of The Sauce :
Beef - 1 kilo
Cabbage - a little less than medium size
Cucumber - a big one
Carrots - 4(big)
Red pepper - two handfuls
Cameroun pepper - 2 tablespoonful(powder)
Onion - 2 (large)
Vegetable oil - 3/4 cup
Curry - 2 table spoons
Seasoning - 2 cubes
salt - to taste
Wash the beef,rub in salt,a table spoon of curry and one cube of seasoning and set aside for about 30 minutes to one hour(you could do this a day earlier and keep in the fridge) .Slice one large onion bulb into the beef,add water that barely covers the meat and cook till it is tender(about 45 minutes - 1hour).
Chop all the vegetables and the remaining bulb of onion while the beef is cooking.You can remove the seed of the cucumber if you think you are not going to like it.I did .Make sure that at least half of the volume of water you cooked the meat in is still left by the time it is cooked.You will need the stock for the sauce.
In a large dry pan ,pour in the vegetable oil and after about a minute or two,when the oil heats up,add the onions,stir till you perceive that lovely fried onion aroma(about a minute and a half) then add the carrots,stir again then add the red pepper,stir then add the cabbage.The cabbage has the largest volume so stir till the heat reduces it's size a bit.Add the cucumber,then the Cameroun pepper,the remaining tablespoon of curry and seasoning cube.Pour in the beef with the stock,add salt to taste,bring to a boil and your sauce is ready!You can serve with rice like I did.
If you try out this recipe,I will very much like to hear all about it.Feel free to ask questions and do not forget that you can add your own touch to it.Use your imagination and make an even more delicious variant.If you have come up with your own ways of substituting tomatoes in this scarcity,please feel free to share.
Have a fruitful and productive day.
PS:You can remove some of the cabbage,cucumber,carrots and onions to use for a slaw later.Just mix with salad cream or mayonnaise and you are good to go.
