Nigerian Unripe Plantain Stew

Peel 4 green plantains and cut into pieces about 3 cm; chop the onion, break the smoked fish into pieces, and thinly shred the spinach.

Put the plantains into a heavy-bottomed pot, add the onion, smoked fish, ground dried shrimp, and ground hot pepper. Pour in water — enough to almost cover the plantains.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, until the plantains start to soften.

Pour in the palm oil, season with salt, and stir gently, being careful not to break up all the plantain pieces.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the plantains are soft and the liquid has reduced into a thick sauce.

Lightly mash some of the plantains in the pot with a spoon to thicken the stew, add the spinach, and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until wilted.

Remove from the heat, let the stew rest for 5 minutes, and serve hot.