Vegan Nigerian Fish Stew | Quorn Vegan Fishless Fingers Recipe

 

Making the impossible possible? Something like that!

You've seen me attempt vegan scrambled eggs with yam, and vegan efo riro. I've even successfully conquered vegan peppered 'snails' and egg fried rice. And now, with a little help from Quorn, I reckon I've created a worthy version of Nigerian fish stew. Cue squeals of excitement!

The reason I'm extra thrilled about this recipe is that since going vegan nearly eight years ago, I've wracked my brain as to how to tackle such a dish. Achieving that authentic seafood flavour with the right textured fish substitute to match seemed an unfeasible task.

The traditional recipe (also known as Obe Eja Dindin by the Yorubas) is often made by cooking raw, fried or grilled fish in a tasty blend of peppers and tomatoes. The stew is then served with either a side of boiled rice, yam, potatoes, plantain, and more. My mum has declared several times that it is her favourite type of stew. Let's hope she approves!

One thing I love about our Nigerian soups and stews is that they are often zero-waste. The one pot meals use fresh ingredients that we always have at home. If there are any red peppers or onions that need using up, you can bet that they're making their way into a stew. This recipe is no different, and that's why I'm excited that it gets to be included in Quorn's Zero Waste campaign.

So let's talk the vegan fish element of this dish. I will be using Quorn's Vegan Fishless Fingers. I know what the traditionalists are thinking. I can almost see the eye rolls and hear the mtchewing from a mile away. Please, aunties and uncles, stay with me for a second. Quorn, in my mind, has done the wonderful job of nailing that authentic fish flavour and texture - just vegan! For this recipe, I’ve prepared the fishless fingers differently to create the perfect ingredient for this plant-based fish stew. I’m pretty confident that it’s sure to wow your friends and family.

Let's get into the recipe!

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

- 8 Quorn Vegan Fishless Fingers, defrosted

- 8 tablespoons kombu seaweed flakes (or other seaweed variety)

- 1 400g tin plum tomatoes

- 1 scotch bonnet chilli 

- 1 red bell pepper

- 1 thumb fresh ginger

- 200ml water

- 4 tablespoons sunflower oil

- 1 red onion, thinly sliced

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- salt to taste

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200C.

2. Split each defrosted fishless finger partway through (don't cut all the way down) and gently fan out to make a flat fillet, breaded side facing down. Sprinkle the top of each fillet with kombu seaweed flakes and gently press down with your fingers. Place each fillet on a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy.

3. Place the tomatoes, scotch bonnet chilli, red bell pepper and fresh ginger in a blender or food processor with 200ml of water and blend until very smooth.

4. Heat the sunflower oil in a large cooking pot and sauté 3/4 of the sliced red onions for 2 minutes or until they start to soften. 

5. Add the stew blend to the pot and season with a tablespoon of kombu seaweed, vegetable stock cube and salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for 6 minutes.

6. Carefully submerge the crispy fishless fillets in the stew and switch off the heat. Garnish with the rest of the sliced red onions.

7. Serve hot with a side or two of your choice, such as boiled rice and peas.

Note: this is a sponsored post, in partnership with Quorn.