This simple and delicious Nigerian Yam Porridge (Asaro) includes red bell peppers, onion, punya yam, smoked prawns and more! Serve as dinner with gizzard, plantain or fish.
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Yam porridge, also known as yam pottage or jokingly as Jollof yam is a dish from southwest Nigeria. As the name suggests, it is made with white yam. Essentially, white yam (aka Punya yam) is boiled with blended pepper, tomato, and onion together with vegetable or palm oil.
Yam porridge is consumed mostly in Southern Nigeria, particularly among the Yorubas, who refer to it as Asaro (pronounced a-sha-row). At Nigerian parties and festivals, yam is considered an alternative to Nigerian jollof rice. It is also served as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
- This Nigerian yam asaro is a flavorful, filling and comforting dinner option that can be made to suit your taste.
- Serve it with various sides of your choice.
- All you need is six ingredients to make it.
- It is easy to double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- White/punya yam: Select unbruised yam for the best flavor.
- Onion: Use white onions.
- Ground smoked prawns
- Salt to taste
- Chicken stock cube optional
- Sugar to taste optional
- A splash of palm oil or vegetable oil
Tips and Substitutions
- Oil: Cooking yam porridge is fun and there are different options. Depending on your taste, you must decide whether to use vegetable or palm oil. Palm oil is the traditional ingredient used hundreds of years before vegetable oil was introduced into the region.
- Add-ins: You also have a choice of flavoring, such as ground smoked prawns or thyme. You can also add spinach 3 – 5 minutes before it is done.
- Sugar: When cooked with vegetable oil, you may or may not add sugar. Note that sugar is usually not added when cooked with palm oil, but there are no rules; it’s up to you!
- Plantain: You can cook yam porridge with ripe plantain instead of sugar. This offers more depth of flavor.
How to Make Nigerian Yam Porridge (Asaro)
- Blend 1 scotch bonnet, 1 bell pepper, 1 onion and a can of plum tomatoes and set aside.
- Peel 1 punya yam and chop. Add to a bowl of water to prevent drying. Rinse the yam to remove dirt and particles.
3. Add enough water to cover the yam in a pot or wok, add salt to taste and sugar (optional), cover the pot, and cook on low/medium heat for about 20 minutes.
4. Pour in the blended mixture, add tomato purée, salt to taste, 1 chicken stock cube, oil, 3 teaspoon of ground smoked prawns, and ½ a diced onion, and cook on low heat for another 10 – 15 minutes (Note that you may have to cook longer if you are using a scotch bonnet and dry pepper to reduce the hotness).
5. Use a wooden spoon or a masher to mash some of the yam, stir and serve when done.
6. Serve this delicious Asaro yam porridge with Best Nigerian Stew Recipe (Obe ata) or Spicy Grilled Tilapia Fish.
Recipe FAQs
Although yam porridge can be served alone, it’s a big hit when served with fried stew (ata dindin) with either fish or meat. It can also be served with spinach Efo Riro (Nigerian Spinach Stew Recipe), Chicken Gizzard Recipe or Best Nigerian Stew Recipe (Obe ata).
Nigerian porridge is called asaro.
If there are leftovers, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave.
More Delicious Nigerian Recipes
Nigerian Yam Porridge (Asaro)
Equipment
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Chefs knife
Ingredients
- 1 white/punya yam
- 1 onion diced
- ⅓ cup oil
- 3 teaspoon of ground smoked prawns
- Salt to taste
- 1 chicken stock cube optional
- Sugar to taste optional
- A splash of palm oil or vegetable oil
Tomato Mixture
- 1 plum tomatoes
- ½ onion
- 1 scotch bonnet or teaspoon of dry pepper optional
- 1 bell pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon tomato paste purée
Instructions
- Blend 1 scotch bonnet, 1 bell pepper, 1 onion and a can of plum tomatoes and set aside.
- Peel yam and chop yam. Add to a bowl of water to prevent drying. and rinse the yam to remove dirt and particles.
- Add enough water to cover the yam in a pot or wok, add salt to taste and sugar (optional). Cover the pot and cook on a low/medium heat for about 20 minutes.
- Pour in the blended mixture, add tomato purée, salt to taste, 1 chicken stock cube, oil, ground smoked prawns along with the diced onion. Cook on a low heat for another 10 – 15 minutes (Note that you may have to cook longer if you are using scotch bonnet and dry pepper to reduce the hotness).
- Use a wooden spoon or a masher to mash some of the yam, stir and serve when done.
Notes
- Oil: Depending on your taste, you must decide whether to use vegetable or palm oil. Palm oil is the traditional ingredient used hundreds of years before vegetable oil was introduced into the region. You also have a choice of flavorings such as ground smoked prawns or thyme.
- Sugar: When cooked with vegetable oil, you may or may not add sugar. Note that sugar is usually not added when cooked with palm oil, but there are no rules; it’s up to you!
- Add-ins: You can cook yam porridge with ripe plantain instead of sugar. You can also add spinach 3 – 5 minutes before it is done.
Boost
Well done! Thanks for this
Rasi
Just followed your recipe - cheers
Jen Sim
You're welcome!