How to make Jeffrey Boadi’s Ghanaian ‘red red’ stew

“Being of Ghanaian heritage meant I absolutely had to include this dish for you to try,” says Jeffrey Boadi. “I’ve got fond memories of enjoying it as a child at home and whenever I visit Ghana these days, I pretty much have it every day. I love it – and so will you!”

Ghanain ‘red red’ stew

Protein: 16g per serving
Fibre: 16g per serving
Preparation: 20min
Cooking: 50min

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

75g red bell pepper, chopped
250g tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion (150g), halved (one half finely diced, the other quartered)
70g carrot, chopped
3tbsp palm oil
½ scotch bonnet (optional)
300ml aquafaba (water from the canned beans)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp curry powder
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf (optional)
1tbsp tomato paste
2 vegetable stock cubes, crumbled
3 cans black-eyed beans (keep the water, rinse the beans)
4 ripe plantains
3tbsp avocado oil
2 medium avocados (300g), sliced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Pinch of chilli flakes, to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6.

2. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, onion quarters and carrot to a roasting tin. Drizzle with two tablespoons of the palm oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.

3. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are caramelised and tender. Add the roasted vegetables, scotch bonnet, if using, and 200 millilitres of the aquafaba to a jug blender. Blend to make a sauce and set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining one tablespoon of palm oil. Add the diced onion and cook for about two minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, spices and bay leaf, if using. Sauté for one to two minutes.

5. Pour the vegetable sauce into the pan, then add the tomato paste, stock cubes, black-eyed beans and remaining 100 millilitres of aquafaba. Mix well and cook for about 10 minutes over a low heat while you prepare the plantain.

6. Peel, halve and slice the plantains lengthways, then sprinkle with salt and toss in a mixing bowl.

7. Heat the avocado oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the plantain for about 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally until golden brown. Alternatively, coat the plantains with a little palm oil and salt, then bake them in the oven at 180 °C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.

8. Once the plantain is ready, use a potato masher to mash the beans slightly to make the stew creamy. Serve the stew with either baked or fried plantains and avocado slices, garnished with chilli flakes.

Plant Fuel by Jeffrey Boadi is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £22. Photography Clare Winfield. Available now.