This stew is a classic dining experience from West Africa. It’s part of the collective heritage of that region, but it’s also something the rest of the world should celebrate as a universal culinary verity. Plus, it embodies all the components of a healthy balanced diet…
The traditional potato-based stew of West Africa – the Hot Pot – can be as simple or or complex as you want it to be. But ‘at least moderately complex’ is a good place aim for, to ensue you serve a good variety of ingredients and flav-ours everyone will love…
Traditionally beef, but…
The Hot Pot is traditionally based on beef and beef broth. But it can be made with any protein you want – or rendered vegetarian or vegan. It’s one of those ‘blank canvas’ dishes on which to paint your own food picture! Five ingredients that are always included, though, are potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, car-rots, onions and garlic. You can add other favourite root veggies. And feel free to play with the herbs and spices.
Classic flavours
The essence of this dish is the a traditional blend of West African veggies. The recipe calls only for basic seasonings and flavourings. Salt and pepper are at the forefront. Fresh parsley and Basil are also important.
The recipe, as written, calls for something called ‘seasoning powder’. That’s basically chicken, beef or veggie flavouring concentrate appropriate to your featured protein, or vegetarian, theme, as appro-priate.
One specifically African ingredient the recipe contri9butor calls for is Crayfish powder. You can get it at some well-stocked African Food stores. But the best substitute is dried shrimp from your go-to Asian Food source.
If you’ve made a stew before – and who among us hasn’t? – you’ll know instinctively how to cook this one up…
Tips and hacks
DO observe the weight and texture of your protein compo0nent. Beef will take a lot longer to cook to fork tenderness than, for example, fish or chicken. Add the protein at an appropritae stage in the simmering process.
Cut your root veggies in equal-sized chunks to ensure they all cook at the same rate and are done at the same time. You potatoes will be ‘done’ first. Test all the veggies for easy penetration by a fork or the tip of a knife before declaring the stew ‘ready’.
DO add the flavouring concentrate as specified. It makes a real difference in the richness and intens-ity of the overall flavour profile.
My take
This classic, ancestrally-rooted dish could hardly be easier to make and it has lots of healthy, nut-ritious, fresh ingredients we should all be should be eating every day.
And with just 20 minutes prep time and half an hour or so to simmer, this dish is appropriate for a weeknight or a weekend supper.
Get in touch with cooking’s roots! And enjoy a healthy, satisfying cold-weather meal at the same time…
~ Maggie J.