Kontomire stew with smoked salmon and melon seeds (Palava Sauce)
Kontomire stew AKA palava sauce is a Ghanaian delicacy made with cocoyam leaves popularly called kontomire. It goes very well with boiled yam, plantain, rice, cocoyam etc.
Kontomire stew is a staple in our house. We mostly alternate between garden egg stew and kontomire stew weekly. I am surprised I do not get tired of it. It is part of our taste bud make up and we do not get fed up of it.
We mostly make kontomire with smoked salmon, my favourite and melon seeds( agushie/akatoa). Feel free to serve it up with any dish of choice. I prefer mine with partially ripe plantains. What would you eat yours with?
Ingredients
- Kontomire leaves/ cocoyam leaves - About 15
- 4-6 small tomatoes
- 1/4 cup turkey berries (optional)
- 3 medium onions
- Pepper as required
- 2 medium smoked salmon
- 1 cup melon seeds (AKA akatoa or agushie)
- 1/2 cup palm oil
- Momoni (optional)
- 2 teaspoons grounded shrimp
- Salt as required
Instructions
- Soak melon seeds in water. Wash and cut kontomire leaves into desired stripes. Boil the kontomire in a saucepan with little water for about five minutes, then set aside.
- Blend two onions, tomatoes, pepper, and turkey berries. Break salmon into desired sizes, removing bones. Blend soaked melon seeds with a little salt to make a paste. Slice the remaining onion.
- Heat palm oil in a medium saucepan, add half of the sliced onions and momoni (if using). Fry until onions soften. Add the blended tomato mixture, salmon, salt, and shrimp. Simmer for 7-10 minutes.
- Add the blended melon seeds (do not stir), cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in steamed kontomire and the remaining sliced onions. Simmer for five more minutes. Serve with yam, rice, cocoyam, cassava, plantains, or sweet potatoes.
Notes
Spinach can be substituted for kontomire. Add it after the blended melon seeds set and simmer until softened. You can also use pre-ground melon seeds by making a slightly thick solution with water and adding it in.