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When it comes to Afro centric cooking, especially in West African kitchens, there is one basic recipe which is absolutely essential in laying the foundation for most dishes. It is a tomato based sauce which I call the tomato stew base. This sauce is essentially what makes the centre of most stews, sauces and even jollof rice. It can make cooking a much quicker task if you have made a large batch; it keeps well in the freezer and can be available on demand.
Use the following ingredients. I like to use fresh tomatoes for their natural sweetness instead of the canned ones which can sometimes have a sour taste. 1 large onion Garlic Ginger Scotch bonnet peppers 1 tbsp tomato puree 4 large fresh tomatoes/1 canned tomato Olive oil
Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan. You may be tempted to use double or even three times that amount but remember the oil is not going anywhere but onto your hips, so use it sparingly and count to cost of each tablespoon of oil you add.