Cassava Leaf Stew

About This Recipe

Cassava leaf stew (known locally as 'plasas' or 'cassava plasas') is arguably the most important dish in Sierra Leonean cuisine — a slow-cooked, deeply savoury stew made from pounded or blended cassava leaves, palm oil, and an abundance of proteins including chicken, beef, smoked fish, and dried crayfish. The pounding of cassava leaves (mandatory before long cooking) is a communal activity, often done by women in the village using a large wooden mortar. The dish is served over white rice and is present at virtually every significant event in Sierra Leonean life. It is the food that Sierra Leoneans crave when they are homesick.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gfrozen pounded cassava leaves (or fresh, pounded)
• 500 gchicken pieces
• 200 gbeef or goat, cubed (optional)
• 150 gsmoked fish, deboned and flaked
• 0.5 cupred palm oil
• 3 tbspground crayfish
• 1 largeonion, finely chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 2scotch bonnet peppers, minced
• 2bouillon cubes
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1 cupwater
• 0.5 cupnatural peanut butter (optional, for richness)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare cassava leaves

   If using fresh cassava leaves, pound thoroughly in a mortar or blend until very fine — they must be well-broken down. Frozen pre-pounded cassava leaves can be used directly. Note: cassava leaves require long cooking.

2. 2

   Cook meat

   Season chicken and beef with salt and bouillon. Heat palm oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Fry onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add meat and sear for 8 minutes until browned.

3. 3

   Add cassava leaves

   Add pounded cassava leaves to the pot with the water. Stir everything together well. Bring to a simmer.

4. 4

   Long simmer

   Cover and cook on low heat for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes and adding water as needed, until the cassava leaves are completely tender and the stew is very thick.

5. 5

   Add fish and crayfish

   Add smoked fish, ground crayfish, scotch bonnet, and peanut butter if using. Stir well. Cook uncovered for another 15–20 minutes. Adjust salt.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve generously over steamed white rice. The stew should be very thick — almost like a paste — coating every grain of rice.

Variations

• •

  Add okra in the last 10 minutes for a slightly viscous, richer sauce.

• •

  Replace peanut butter with coconut milk for a different richness profile.

• •

  Use only vegetables and smoked fish for a pescatarian version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes exceptionally well — make a large batch. Reheat with a little water.

Frequently Asked Questions