Liberian Stewed Greens Dip With Plantain Chips

Name: Liberian Stewed Greens Dip With Plantain Chips
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Cuisine: West African
Ingredients: 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and chopped; 10 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated; 3 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed, seeded if you like; 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks; 2 medium bell peppers, any color, quartered and seeded; 1 bunch collards or any chard greens, stems and leaves separated and chopped; 1 bunch kale, stems and leaves separated and chopped; 1 bunch mustard or dandelion greens, stems and leaves separated and chopped; ½ cup neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, safflower or grapeseed; 2 tablespoons dried írù (dried, fermented locust beans), soaked in warm water to soften, then rinsed and drained, see Tip; 2 tablespoons ground dried crayfish, or tiny dried shrimp (soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then drained), see Tip; 2 (7-ounce) pieces ẹja panla (cold-smoked hake, see Tip) or smoked white fish fillet, skin off and picked of any bones, flakes broken into 1-inch pieces; 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 2 teaspoons stock concentrate, meat or vegetable, plus more to taste (optional); 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons); ¼ cup fresh purple or Thai basil leaves or fresh scent leaves (see Tip), chopped; Plantain chips, for serving

By Yewande Komolafe

Published March 16, 2026

Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Media 1 of 1

Ready In: 1½ hr
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

A staple vegetable in Liberia, collard greens are cooked in a variety of ways across the West African nation and its vast diaspora. Whole leaves wrap an array of proteins for gentle steaming, and shredded leaves with their stems are added to various soups and stews. Stewed greens are the most popular preparation, known for being robust and deep in flavor with a lot of nuance. This recipe is adapted from Ope Amosu, the chef of Houston’s ChòpnBlok restaurants, who serves the stewed greens as a dip for plantain chips. He combines sturdy greens, bell peppers, onions and prawns with fermented, smoked and dried ingredients. Over a long simmer, the vegetables slowly relax, yielding to the broth and absorbing the surrounding flavors. Serve as a dip for chips or fritters, or alongside xaawash braised lamb shanks, crispy suya-spiced salmon or a starchy swallow.

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share this recipe
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and chopped
10 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
3 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stemmed, seeded if you like
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium bell peppers, any color, quartered and seeded
1 bunch collards or any chard greens, stems and leaves separated and chopped
1 bunch kale, stems and leaves separated and chopped
1 bunch mustard or dandelion greens, stems and leaves separated and chopped
½ cup neutral-flavored oil, such as canola, safflower or grapeseed
2 tablespoons dried írù (dried, fermented locust beans), soaked in warm water to soften, then rinsed and drained, see Tip
2 tablespoons ground dried crayfish, or tiny dried shrimp (soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then drained), see Tip
2 (7-ounce) pieces ẹja panla (cold-smoked hake, see Tip) or smoked white fish fillet, skin off and picked of any bones, flakes broken into 1-inch pieces
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 teaspoons stock concentrate, meat or vegetable, plus more to taste (optional)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
¼ cup fresh purple or Thai basil leaves or fresh scent leaves (see Tip), chopped
Plantain chips, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

1. Step 1
  In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the ginger, garlic, scallion whites, Scotch bonnets, onion, bell peppers, collard stems, kale stems and mustard green stems to break up, then process for 1 minute to form a coarse purée. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and move the mixture to a large bowl.
2. Step 2
  Working in batches if needed, add the collard, kale and mustard green leaves to the food processor and pulse twice to break up. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process again until the leaves are in small, even pieces, similar to confetti, about 30 seconds. Add to the large bowl. Once all the ingredients have been chopped, combine with your hands.
3. Step 3
  Place a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the oil and warm for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the írù, ground crayfish and smoked fish. Cook, stirring often to evenly distribute, until fragrant and light golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Step 4
  Increase the heat to medium, add the leafy green mix and sprinkle in the baking soda. Stir to evenly coat the mix with the seasoned oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the stock concentrate, if using. Stir to combine.
5. Step 5
  Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid cracked and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens release their liquid, the mixture is simmering, and the vegetables are softened, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove the lid, taste and add salt, if necessary.
6. Step 6
  Continue to cook, stirring frequently to loosen any stuck bits and prevent the sauce from sticking, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the vegetables have collapsed into a cohesive sauce and everything is slicked with golden, glistening oil, 10 minutes. There should be visible puddles of sauce on the surface and along the edge of the pot. The sauce should stay in place with some pooling of oil when a spatula is dragged through.
7. Step 7
  Add the lemon zest, basil and scallion greens, stir to combine and cook until just warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature with plantain chips for dipping. (Once cooled, the sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.)

Tips

Scent leaves are a leafy green herb known for its jagged edges, sharp bite and scented, peppery qualities. Purple basil and Thai basil, which come close, can occasionally be found fresh and in season at farmers markets. Dried and crumbled scent leaves can be found prepackaged at any African, Caribbean or international grocery store.
You can find dried írù (dried, fermented locust beans), ẹja panla (cold-smoked hake or catfish), and ground dried crayfish at African, Caribbean or international grocery stores. Smoked white fish is an adequate substitute for ẹja panla.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

0 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Comments

There aren’t any comments yet. Be the first to leave one.

Shelley1 hour ago

What is the role of the írù? What does it taste like? Even in the cooks' paradise of San Francisco, I haven't found any and likely won't stock it. Would you provide a substitution recommendation? I'd probably just leave it out but I suspect it might be included for texture and flavor.

Private comments are only visible to you.