Cookbook:Nigerian Pepper Sauce (Obe Ata)

Obe ata (literally "pepper sauce") is a sauce-like blend that serves as a base for many Nigerian—especially Yoruba—recipes. The key ingredients are the peppers, tomatoes, and onions; but, aside from that, this sauce can be dressed up with various add-ins according to preference. When concentrated by cooking in oil, it is further described as "din din".

This recipe uses palm oil instead of vegetable oil and also incorporates fish at the end for protein. While buka stew is created with bleached palm oil, this pepper sauce doesn't use bleached oil. To preserve the aroma, it is advisable to produce this sauce using few and simple ingredients.

Ingredients

 * Fresh bell peppers, rinsed
 * Tomatoes, rinsed
 * 1 cup palm oil
 * Fresh ginger, minced
 * Garlic, minced
 * Onion, chopped
 * Salt
 * Pepper
 * Fish (optional), cooked and shredded

Equipment

 * Knife
 * Chopping board
 * Medium-size bowl
 * Frying pan

Procedure

 * 1) Blend the fresh peppers and tomatoes to a chunky paste.
 * 2) Heat the palm oil in a frying pan.
 * 3) Add the ginger, garlic, and onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
 * 4) Add the blended pepper mixture, and cook for 10 minutes.
 * 5) Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the shredded fish. Cook for 3 minutes on low heat.
 * 6) Remove from the heat and serve.