Chinwe’s Nigerian Yam with Red Stew
Chinwe Owunna lives in Virginia with her husband, John, and their two daughters, Zikora and Songali.
She met her husband while at university in the United States, but her heart — and her palate — remain deeply connected to where she was born and raised: Nigeria.
The Table Is Open: On Roots, Curiosity, and Letting People Try
“I’m originally from Nigeria,” she says. “That’s where I call home — where I grew up most of my life. I still love the food, the people, the culture.”
She speaks with warmth when she describes her homeland: a country of many languages, flavors, and textures.
“Within Nigeria, there are so many cultures. I’m Igbo — one of the main tribes — and even within Igbo land, every area cooks differently. Wherever you go, you find something new. Nigeria has so many types of food.”
Her favorite? Yam.
“Yam is a tuber,” she explains, “and we eat it in so many ways. You can boil it, fry it like chips, mash it, or cook it with oil and vegetables. It can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Anytime I see yam — I have to eat it.”
Though now her travels have slowed — these days she explores the world with her family, to France, to Greece — Chinwe has lived in and tasted from nearly every corner of the globe, from Myanmar to the Caribbean. She smiles, remembering how she once tried frog legs on a cruise ship — and shark meat in Saint Lucia.
“I like to try everything,” she says, laughing. “I’m very adventurous… but not snake — that one I’m not sure about.”
That curiosity extends beyond food — it’s how she sees people, culture, and connection.
“When you invite someone to eat your food,” she says, “you’re inviting them to understand you a little. But not everyone will like what you bring to the table — and that’s okay.”
She tells me a tip she learned when she began hosting dinners in America, one that would help if one was worried about how guests would react to their food — in Nigerian food, the bold spices, the rich palm oil, the deep earthy flavors. She learned to release that fear.
“You can’t take it personally,” she says. “People have different tastes. You just give them the opportunity to try — if they like it, good. If not, that’s fine too. At least they got the chance.”
That’s Chinwe’s quiet wisdom: be open to others, and to yourself.
Try new things. Let people try what you bring. And don’t let rejection stop you from sharing your table again.
🌱 Recipe Box: Nigerian Yam with Red Stew (As Chinwe Loves It)
Ingredients (4 servings):
1 medium yam (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into chunks
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable or palm oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 small onion, sliced
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika or cayenne (adjust to taste)
Optional: spinach or greens for garnish
Instructions:
Boil yam chunks in salted water until tender (about 10–15 minutes). Drain and set aside.
In a separate pan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
Add tomatoes and pepper; cook until soft and thickened into a stew.
Season with salt, paprika, and optional greens.
Serve stew over boiled yam. Enjoy warm — for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
“It’s very personal,” Chinwe says with a smile. “Everyone has their own way of making it — that’s what makes it beautiful.”