I grew up in Minnesota, the state with the largest population of immigrants from the West African nation of Liberia. One day, I went to a friend’s house to play music. He happened to be dating a Liberian woman, and she made this recipe. Wow, what unbelievable flavor. The meat just fell off the bone. I had never tasted anything like it. Immediately hooked, I wanted to learn how to make it. What amazes me most about this recipe? Such simple ingredients combine to make so much flavor. There have been times when I have eaten this every day for a week. Enjoy.
by Russell Evans
Ingredients
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 habanero pepper
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 5 Maggi seasoning cubes (found online or at African/Caribbean grocery stores)
• 8 oz. raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• 5 chicken wings, precooked
• 9 oz. of stew beef, raw
• white rice, cooked
“Such simple ingredients combine to make so much flavor.”
Russell Evans
Directions
Heat up a large pot and add one cup of vegetable oil. In a blender, puree the red onion, red pepper, green pepper and habanero pepper. Add the mixture to the pot, along with the sliced yellow onion and diced tomato. Season the gravy with five Maggi cubes, one teaspoon of black pepper, one teaspoon of garlic salt, one teaspoon of minced garlic and one tablespoon of tomato paste. Let the gravy cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat on low, add cooked chicken wings, raw beef and raw shrimp and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until beef and shrimp are cooked through. It should be ready in 12 minutes. Serve meat and gravy on top of hot cooked white rice. Additional Tips: Add as much habanero as you would like. The more you add, the spicier the dish will be. You can add any choice of meat, including beef or pork hotdogs, sausages or fish. Chicken is the only meat that needs to be precooked before adding it to the gravy. Season the meat and gravy to your liking before serving.
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