Wash the kontomire or taro leaves thoroughly with salt and water.
After washing, cut into preferred stripes based on your next step. If you are pre-cooking it, it’s advisable to cut it a bit bigger so they don’t become too soft when cooking.
If you are using whole melon seeds, Soak melon seeds in water, and set aside.
In a saucepan, put the cut Kontomire and some water, cover, and leave to boil for about 5 minutes. This is an optional step as some people prefer to use the Kontomire in its raw state without boiling.
After boiling the Kontomire, sieve out the water and set aside.
Blend one onion with pepper and one tomato and aside. This will serve as your pepper mix
Wash and the break your mackerel into two, discard the head and the bones and break it into desired pieces.
If you are using whole melon seeds, blend it with about ¼ teaspoon salt and just enough water to form a loose paste. If you are using ground "agushie", add a little bit of water and ¼ a teaspoon of salt and mix till it forms into a paste.
In a pan, add some palm oil and let it heat for a couple of minutes
Add cured fish or momone. It releases a lot of Umami flavor that enriches the taste of the tomato base.
After this, add in the chopped onions and smoked mackerel ( This can be added in the beginning, middle, or end. It's really up to who is doing the cooking
After about 5-10 mins, add blended pepper, and chopped tomatoes. Stir until everything is well mixed . Cover to cook for a while till it thickens. Although the tomatoes can be blended before adding to the stew, I prefer chopped tomatoes because it gives the stew more texture and enables the stew to simmer quicker.
Add in the tomato paste to further thicken it and let it sit for 5 more minutes. As mentioned earlier this is an optional step. The traditional way of making palava sauce makes use of only fresh ingredients.
Next, add in your blended Agushie. At this point, don't stir the Agushie. Use the tip of the cooking spoon to spread it evenly in the pot. Then cover and leave to cook properly for about 10 minutes.
After the Agushie is well cooked, stir gently and add the cooked Kontomire and stir. At this point, just allow the stew to sit for about just 5 minutes because the Kontomire is already cooked. Adjust the salt and seasoning to your taste. Your Kontomire should be ready.
Serve with a hot bowl of rice or Ampesi
