Kosua ne Meko (Eggs With Pepper Relish)

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Kosua ne Meko (Eggs With Pepper Relish)
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(386)
Comments
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A hard-boiled egg split slightly down the middle and stuffed with a chunky tomato relish, kosua ne meko is a quick Ghanaian snack sold by street vendors. Classic versions include hard-boiled eggs that have been cured by dredging them shell-on through dampened salt a day before. The relish, referred to as “raw pepper,” can taste different depending on the vendor, but it always has crushed tomatoes, red onions and chiles. For home cooks, this can be a simple dish made quickly (or ahead) to share broadly — at the beach, a picnic, an afternoon cocktail party or a potluck brunch. An asanka, a small mortar and pestle with a rough interior, is used to prepare the raw pepper, but a food processor can also step in. Simply salting the egg before adding the relish, or after, can at least hint at the salt-dredging technique.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 eggs
  • ¼ to 1whole red Scotch bonnet chile, stem and seeds removed
  • 1(1-inch) piece ginger, scrubbed and roughly chopped
  • 1garlic clove
  • Salt
  • ½small red onion (about 3 ounces), or 2 small shallots
  • 1small ripe plum tomato (about 3 ounces), seeds removed, roughly chopped
  • 1dozen boiled eggs, peeled
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

71 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 5 grams protein; 144 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In the bowl of an asanka (or in a mortar with a rough finish inside the bowl), combine the Scotch bonnet, ginger, garlic and a pinch of salt, and crush to a rough paste, 1 minute.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the onion half in half: Thinly slice one quarter and reserve. Roughly chop the remaining quarter and add to the asanka (or mortar). Crush into the chile paste, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crush using the mortar. Salt the relish to taste. Stir in the sliced onions. You should have about 1 cup of the relish. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the chile, ginger and garlic until coarsely chopped. Add the onion quarter or shallot, and chop. Add the tomato pieces and chop. Season with salt and stir in the sliced onions.)

  3. Step 3

    Slice along the length of each egg, just enough to open it up but without cutting all the way through. Season the insides with a pinch of salt. Carefully stuff each egg with about 1 tablespoon spicy relish. Arrange the eggs on a plate or serving platter, and serve immediately.

Tip
  • To serve later, refrigerate the peeled eggs and the relish in separate sealed containers and make to order. You can also top the eggs with the relish and store refrigerated in a tightly sealed container until ready to eat. Store refrigerated for up to 48 hours.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
386 user ratings
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Comments

Carlo in CA

I had a little trouble assembling this as described without tearing or otherwise damaging the HB eggs, so I improvised in the most obvious way. I cut each egg in half a la deviled eggs, and removed the yolks. Then I mixed the tomato/chili paste and the egg yolks together, tasted, adjusted seasoning, then used the mix to stuff the half-eggs. Voila! You might not find these on the streets of Accra, but they were easy, artfully presentable, very flavorful, and much enjoyed by my guests.

MidwestProf

For those asking: Google “Ghana’s Kosua Ne Meko” — there’s an easily located YouTube video that demonstrates the salting technique.

Connie H.

I made these last night and we all loved them. I always try to follow a recipe the first time I make it--and I did--but I have a little hack: I cut a very thin slice off the bottom, THEN I stuffed it in the corner of the slit. This did two things 1) kept the eggs from rolling around on the plate and 2) held the egg open so it was easier to stuff. (We had a few left over, and ate them for breakfast! I am hosting a brunch in a few weeks, and I think these will be on the menu.)

Maggie O

So yummy!

Annie W

We have a limited grocery - what pepper can I substitute for Scotch Bonnet?

Bill

@Annie W Habanero is the classic substitution, but broadly speaking, you want a chile that is ripe (ie red or orange, not green), very spicy, and fruity.

Jessie kobi

So this is one of my favorites. I can eat it about 10 or more at a go lol. If you aren’t a fan of scotch bonnet pepper u can omit it and just use the tomatoes and onions . Maybe a dash of salt and black pepper will do in addition . It’s nutritious .

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