African Yam Fries With House Stew Recipe

Prepare and soak yams

Peel the yam tubers and cut into uniform sticks about 1 cm x 1 cm x 8 cm. Rinse pieces under cold water to remove surface starch, then place in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry thoroughly with clean kitchen towels or paper towels.

Par-fry (optional for crispiness)

Heat about 500 ml of vegetable oil in a deep heavy saucepan to 160°C (320°F) or medium heat. Working in batches, fry yam sticks for 3–4 minutes until they are just cooked through but not browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let rest 5–10 minutes.

Final fry

Increase oil heat to 190–200°C (375–390°F). Fry the par-fried yams in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crisp. If you did not par-fry, fry raw yam sticks at full heat for 5–7 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Remove to paper towels and immediately season with 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground white pepper and 1 tsp paprika; toss gently to coat.

Clean and pre-boil gizzards

Rinse gizzards well under cold running water. Trim any excess fat or membranes. Place gizzards into a medium pot with 1 liter water and 1/2 of the sliced onion (reserve the rest for the stew). Add 1/2 tsp salt and one seasoning cube. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 30–40 minutes until tender but still slightly firm. Remove gizzards, reserve 150 ml of the cooking liquid, and when cool enough, slice gizzards into bite-size pieces or thin strips.

Prepare pepper-tomato blend

In a blender, combine the remaining onion, garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet/habanero (remove seeds for less heat if desired), red bell pepper, and tomatoes. Blend to a smooth coarse purée.

Cook down the tomato stew base

Heat 4 tbs vegetable oil in a wide skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and fry for 1 minute to remove raw taste. Pour in the blended pepper-tomato mixture and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the raw smell is gone and the mixture has reduced and thickened—about 12–18 minutes.

Season and finish the stew

Add the sliced, cooked gizzards and reserved gizzard stock (about 150 ml) to the simmering tomato base. Stir in the remaining seasoning cube, 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste), 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp thyme, and 1/2 tsp curry powder. Continue to simmer on low for 8–10 minutes so flavors meld and sauce coats gizzards. Taste and adjust seasoning. In the last 2 minutes add sliced scallions and chopped parsley/cilantro, stir, and remove from heat.

Optional finishing

For extra pep, drizzle 1 tsp of palm oil or an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl it through the stew before serving. Serve hot alongside the yam fries.