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DIY Recipes: How to make Yam Eto (Baayer eto/ɛto)

This is a popular traditional Ghanaian food.
Yam eto
Yam eto

It is usually eaten on birthdays or even given to brides on their special day.

Ingredients

500g/ 1lb Puna yam peeled and cut into smaller sizes

Salt as required

Water for cooking yam

4 tablespoons palm oil scooped from making palm nut soup or regular palm oil

1 onion sliced

1 clove garlic

Fresh pepper (bird's eye chilli, scotch bonnet, petite bell, habanero, etc.) as required

Method

  • Remove peels of yam, cut into smaller sizes and rinse with fresh water. Put yams into a saucepan, add salt to taste and enough water for boiling.
  • Put a saucepan with yams on high heat, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. A fork inserted into the yams should easily break it apart. When cooked through, drain off water and set aside.
  • Whiles yam is cooking, put a small saucepan on low heat, add about 1/4 cup palm oil and half of the sliced onions. Fry on low heat till oil is softened and turn off the fire.
  • Using Asanka or Ayewa and Apotoyewa, grind the remaining onions, one clove of garlic and fresh pepper till smooth. Add the cooked yam and mash till there are no lumps.
  • Starting with two tablespoons of palm oil; add palm oil to the mashed yam. Use the Apotoyewa to blend it together. Add more palm oil as desired.
  • Serve yam Eto with the fried onions, hard-boiled eggs and avocado pear.
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