1
Cook meat
Season meat with onion, salt, and pepper. Simmer until tender and reserve the stock.
Cook meat
40:00
Sierra Leone | Stew
Cassava Leaf Stew
Sierra Leonean cassava leaf stew with palm oil, beef or chicken, smoked fish, groundnut, onion, garlic, and chile.
Country
Sierra Leone
Region
West Africa
Time
125 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Cassava leaves need time. The stew is ready when the greens are tender, the fish has seasoned the pot, and red oil rises gently at the edges.
What the dish tastes like
Sierra Leonean cassava leaf stew with palm oil, beef or chicken, smoked fish, groundnut, onion, garlic, and chile.
When to cook it
Best for Everyday meals and celebrations, with a medium cooking level and about 125 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
White rice, plantain, fufu, or gari
Regional lane
Sierra Leone national table. A verified Sierra Leone dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Overcooking the greens until the color and texture collapse.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- Greens should be cooked through but still look alive and glossy.
- The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
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Chef board
Build the table around Cassava Leaf Stew
White rice, plantain, fufu, or gari
Best route from here
Sierra Leone national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
125 min total
medium
2
Start leaves
Simmer cassava leaves in a little water until they soften and lose their raw edge.
Soften leaves
30:00
3
Build stew
Heat palm oil and cook onion, garlic, chile, and ogiri if using. Add leaves, meat, smoked fish, and stock.
Build stew
10:00
4
Add groundnut
Stir in ground peanuts or peanut butter and simmer until the stew thickens and oil rises.
Simmer stew
30:00
5
Serve
Adjust salt and serve over white rice.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.