This classic Ghanaian recipe is of mixed yam, cocoyam and plantains served with a stew of smoked fish and turkey berries. Known as kwahu nsusua in Ghana, turkey berries are the fruit of Solanum torvum. Turkey berry is native from Florida and southern Alabama through the West Indies and from Mexico through Central America and South America through Brazil. It has been introduced and naturalized throughout tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. The green fresh fruits are edible and used in Ivorian and Ghanaian soups where they have become a substitute for bitterballs, local aubergines.
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins/Cook Time 15 minutes mins/Serves: 2
Ingredients:
For the Ampesi:
1 yam tuber
2 cocoyam corms
3 pieces unripe plantain
2 tbsp salt
For the kontomire stew:
10 kontomire (cocoyam) leaves
4 tomatoes
1 habanero chilli
1/2 cup turkey berries optional
3 medium-sized onions
3 garlic cloves
500g (1 lb) smoked fish
250ml (1 cup) palm oil
1 tbsp all-purpose Seasoning
2 tbsp ground smoked and dried shrimp
Salt and freshly-ground black Pepper, to taste
1 piece Salted fish (Koobi), broken into pieces and with bones removed
Method:
To Prepare the Ampesi:
Peel the yam and cocoyam and place in a bowl. Wash them thoroughly then transfer to a cooking pot before half-filling the pot with water.
Peel the unripe plantain, wash and arrange the pieces on top of the yam and cocoyam. Season with plenty of salt then bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes, until tender then pour out the water and set aside.
To prepare the kotnomire stew:
Thoroughly wash the cocoyam leaves and turkey berries then place in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, until tender. Turn into a colander and drain.
Blend together the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chilli and turkey berries in a mortar or food processor. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
Remove the bones from the smoked fish, wash well then break into pieces and set aside.
Pour the palm oil into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the salted fish pieces then blend the cooked cocoyam leaves with a little oil and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Now add the smoked fish, season to taste and add the all-purpose seasoning (or crumble in 2 maggi cubes). Continue to simmer everything for 10 minutes, until the stew thickens.
Serve with the ampesi.
