Yam, sweet potato and plantain stew

If you live in Adamsdown then you’ve heard of Clifton street. It’s the heart of the Adamsdown universe, where people shop, get their hair cut and tattoos inked, meet a neighbour for coffee, a nata and co, hire fancy dress, taste Brasilian street food, and much much more. It is one of the most diverse streets in Cardiff. If you’ve been there, you’ve probably passed by or have had your clothes altered at Sierra Tailors maybe even by Alie. He alters and repairs the clothes and also creates his own designs from recycled materials for his fashion design course.

The recipe Alie shared is typical for West African cuisine, and includes different root vegetables (big, long and sometimes hairy). Getting the products for this recipe was a journey of exploration. I’ve finally confirmed my suspicions that that big green banana is not a banana but a plantain. It is eaten only cooked- boiled or fried – and is usually used in savoury dishes such as stews.
This recipe has had some adjustments that I made. Usually it has crayfish and some smoked fish on top of that both of which I didn’t include. On reflection, having some fish is a good idea to balance out the sweet flavours of a plantain and a sweet potato. I also ommited some hot spices that Alie recommended which would again have complemented the sweet flavours. You can follow the recipe bellow or you can take it as a suggestion and work out the best flavour combinations for you.

(From top to bottom: yam, sweet potatoes, plantains)

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

1. 1 onion, diced
2. 2-3 plantains, cubed
3. 1-2 sweet potatoe, cubed
4. 1 yam, cubed
5. 3 tbsp tomato puree
6. 1-2 cubes (Maggi) or vegetable broth
7. Chopped parsley

Method

1. Add the onion and fry it in oil.
2. Add plantain, sweet potatoe, yam, tomato puree and stock cubes with water to cover it all. Boil for about 25 minutes.
3. Sprinkle parsley on top and enjoy!!!

The end result is a stew that’s quite sweet!