Kwahu nsusua (Turkey berries) abomu is a traditional Ghanaian stew. Known in Ghana by a variety of names: ‘Kantosey’, ‘Abedru’, ‘Kwahu Nsusua, ‘Sebe bibii’ and others, the pea-sized turkey berry is used for a range of culinary and medicinal applications. Originally from Florida, turkey berry Solanum torvum is a member of the tomato/deadly nightshade family. Turkey berry has been introduced and naturalized throughout tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands including Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa and has become a feature of Ghanaian and Ivorian cookery.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 55 minutes/Serves: 4
Ingredients:
200g Kwahu Nsusua (Turkey berries)
1 medium salted tilapia (Koobi), cleaned and scaled
Momone (Salted and dried fish [stockfish]), soaked in water for 2 hours
5 fresh Scotch bonnet chillies
2 medium onions
1/4 cup of roasted peanuts (groundnut)
60ml (1/4 cup) of red palm oil
1 medium Avocado
3 hard-boiled eggs
all-purpose Seasoning (or crumbled Maggi cubes)
Salt to taste
Method:
Cut off the stalk ends of the turkey berries. Wash in brine, then place in a pan with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 minutes then set aside.
Wash the fish, place in a pan of salted water, bring to a boil then cook for 10 minutes and set aside.
Combine the chillies and diced onion in a mortar or food processor then render to a smooth paste. Add the roasted peanuts and 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning (or crumbled Maggi cubes) and process until smooth.
Heat the palm oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the
Pour scotch bonnet pepper into an earthenware bowl, add 1 diced onion and grind into a smooth mixture. Add roasted groundnut, seasoning and grind. Add the cooked turkey berries and grind them into a smooth mixture.
Heat palm oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the soaked salted Momone, and the remaining onion, sliced, and stir until translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
Take off the heat and pour the ground turkey berries mixture into the oil. Stir to mix evenly and season to taste with salt. In the meantime, wash the koobi (dried tilapia), place in a pan, pour over plenty of water, bring to a boil and cook for 40 minutes, until tender.
Top your Abomu with sliced avocado, eggs and the cooked Koobi (salted tilapia).
