Efo Riro With Kale and Whitefish

Name: Efo Riro With Kale and Whitefish
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1 medium onion, quartered through root end; 1 3 plum tomatoes, quartered; 1 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into large pieces; 1 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile; 1 4 garlic cloves; 1 2 Tbsp. dried bitter leaf; 1 4 skinless tilapia or other whitefish fillets (about 1⅔lb. total), cut into 2" pieces; 1 4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning; 1 Vegetable oil (for frying; about 1 cup); 1 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste; 1 2 tsp. dried thyme; 1 1½ tsp. garam masala; 1 ½ tsp. ground turmeric; 1 1 cube Maggi shrimp or chicken bouillon; 1 3 Tbsp. dried shrimp, rinsed; 1 4 tsp. powdered irú (dawadawa; fermented locust beans); 1 1 lb. (2 bunches) kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2" pieces; 1 Steamed puna yams or rice (for serving)

From the kitchen of Carly

Efo riro marries West African spice with clean protein. Whitefish fillet crisps in hot oil, then joins a silky tomato-pepper sauce spiked with habanero heat and bitter leaf's subtle funk. Quick, vibrant, deeply satisfying.

Prep: n/a
Cook: n/a
Total: n/a
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

4 servings

11 medium onion, quartered through root end
13 plum tomatoes, quartered
11 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into large pieces
11 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile
14 garlic cloves
12 Tbsp. dried bitter leaf
14 skinless tilapia or other whitefish fillets (about 1⅔lb. total), cut into 2" pieces
14 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1Vegetable oil (for frying; about 1 cup)
12 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
12 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
12 tsp. dried thyme
11½ tsp. garam masala
1½ tsp. ground turmeric
11 cube Maggi shrimp or chicken bouillon
13 Tbsp. dried shrimp, rinsed
14 tsp. powdered irú (dawadawa; fermented locust beans)
11 lb. (2 bunches) kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2" pieces
1Steamed puna yams or rice (for serving)

Instructions

Purée onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, chile, and garlic in a blender, adding up to ¼ cup water as needed, until smooth. Set purée aside.
Place bitter leaf in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover. Let sit until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and finely chop.
Meanwhile, toss fish with Old Bay seasoning in a large bowl to evenly coat. Pour vegetable oil into a large deep saucepan or medium Dutch oven to come ¼" up sides and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches, arrange fish in a single layer and fry, turning halfway through, until golden, 6, 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Pour oil out from pan and wipe out. Heat olive oil in same saucepan over medium-high. Add tomato paste, thyme, garam masala, and turmeric. Cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant and tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved purée, scraping up any browned bits, then add bitter leaf, shrimp cube, dried shrimp, and irú. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat so stew is at a simmer and add kale by the handful, stir to wilt slightly before adding more. Once all of the kale has been added, cook (without stirring) until tender, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in fried fish, being careful not to break up too much.
Serve with yams or rice alongside.