Ingredients

For The Beef

• 1200 g beef (see Note 1 for best cuts)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons beef seasoning cubes

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 small piece of ginger

• 1 handful chopped onion

• 1 cup water

For The Stew Base

• 5 large bell peppers

• 9–12 tomatoes

• A handful of Scotch bonnet peppers (see Note 2)

• 1/2 small onion

To Make The Stew

• 1 cup oil (for frying the meat)

• Boiled‑down stew base

• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

• 2 teaspoons thyme

• 1/2 beef seasoning cube

• 1 cup beef stock

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Direction

1. Cook The Beef
   Add beef to a pot, then season with onion, salt, curry powder, thyme, garlic, ginger, and crushed seasoning cube.
   Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes — the meat releases its own juices, giving deeper flavor.
   After 10 minutes, add water and simmer until the beef becomes tender.
   Separate the stock from the meat and set both aside.

2. Make The Stew Base
   Rinse and deseed the peppers.
   Blend bell peppers, tomatoes, Scotch bonnets, and onion until smooth.
   Pour the blend into a pot and cook over medium heat undisturbed (see Note 3).
   Cook uncovered until the mixture thickens and the raw tomato taste disappears.

3. Fry The Meat (Optional)
   Heat oil in a large pot and fry the cooked beef until browned.
   You can also air fry or leave the meat boiled (see Note 4).

4. Build The Stew
   Add chopped onion to the hot oil and sauté until soft and fragrant.
   Pour in the reduced pepper mixture — be careful, it may splash.
   Season with curry powder, thyme, and the seasoning cube.
   Simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Fry The Stew Properly
   Cover the pot halfway and continue frying for 15 minutes.
   For a drier stew, fry longer.

6. Finish The Stew
   Add the reserved beef stock to loosen the stew.
   Cook for 5–10 minutes.
   Add the cooked beef and let it simmer on low heat until the oil rises to the top — that’s when the stew is ready.
   Taste and adjust seasoning.

7. Serve
   Enjoy hot with rice, yam, bread, pasta, or your favorite side.

Notes

1. Best Beef Cuts
For traditional Nigerian stew, choose tender beef with some fat for richness.
If you prefer leaner meat, that works too.
For bone‑in flavor, use beef ribs with brisket bone.
Outside Nigeria, a mix of boneless + bone‑in cuts gives the best texture and depth.
Great options: tri‑tip roast, brisket, flank steak, short ribs, skirt steak.

2. Pepper Heat Guide
Remove seeds and veins for less heat.
If Scotch bonnet isn’t available, use habanero or Bird’s Eye chili.
Peppers abroad (US/UK) tend to be hotter but milder in flavor than Nigerian atarodo — adjust quantity accordingly.

3. Important Stew Base Tip
Once you pour the blended pepper mix into the pot, do not stir immediately.
Let it cook undisturbed for a few minutes to prevent splattering.

4. Meat Options
You can leave the meat boiled, fry it, or air fry it.
Many people enjoy a mix — half fried, half boiled.