Nigerian Yam and Potato Porridge

Ingredients

• •6 pieces of ponmo (cow skin), properly cleaned and cut into small pieces
• •1½ cups water
• •4 seasoning cubes (e.g. Maggi)
• •Garlic , minced
• •15 scotch bonnet chile peppers (atarodo)
• •3 cooking spoons of palm oil
• •2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil
• •6 medium-sized onions , 3 chopped and 3 sliced
• •1 teaspoon curry powder
• •1¼ teaspoons salt
• •1 medium-sized yam , peeled and sliced into 4 pieces of 10 cm diameter and 2–2.5-inch thickness
• •5 medium-sized sweet potatoes , peeled and sliced 2–2.5-inch thick
• •2 teaspoons of ginger/garlic/onion paste
• •1 sachet of tomato paste
• •4 teaspoons ground crayfish

Instructions

1. 1Place the ponmo in a pot with water, 2 seasoning cubes, garlic, and salt to taste. Boil until the ponmo becomes soft, which should take about 10 minutes.
2. 2Blend the chile peppers until about 70% smooth.
3. 3Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Pour 1 cooking spoon of palm oil and ½ spoon of vegetable oil into the pan, and heat them for about 2 minutes.
4. 4Add one-third of the finely chopped onions to the pan and fry them, stirring continuously for approximately 2 minutes.
5. 5Add the blended peppers, curry powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Let the mixture fry for about 8 minutes.
6. 6Add the cooked ponmo to the pan and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer , covered, for approximately 5 minutes.
7. 7Keep warm until time to serve.
8. 8In a large pot, combine 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the yam, sweet potato, and sliced onions.
9. 9Boil the yam and sweet potatoes until they are about 60% softened (approximately halfway done). This process usually takes around 12 minutes. Do not drain.
10. 10Blend the ginger-garlic paste, remaining seasoning cubes, and tomato paste together until smooth.
11. 11Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 spoons of palm oil and 1½ spoons of vegetable oil to the pan, and heat them for about 2 minutes
12. 12Add half the remaining finely chopped onions to the pan and fry them, stirring continuously for approximately 2 minutes.
13. 13Add the tomato mixture and salt to taste. Stir continuously until the mixture fries and has lost some liquid.
14. 14Stir the fried tomato mixture into the pot with the yam and potatoes. Add the crayfish and remaining chopped onions. Stir well and cover the pot, allowing it to cook for 5 minutes.
15. 15Using a wooden stirring rod, stir and mash the yam and potato, leaving some chunks for texture.
16. 16Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.
17. 17Stir the porridge and remove it from the heat, allowing it to steam. Serve the hot porridge on a plate with the peppered ponmo.