Iwuk Edesi (One-Pot Rice With Chicken)

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated Oct. 23, 2023

Iwuk Edesi (One-Pot Rice With Chicken) — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Total Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 hour
Rating: 4(271)
Notes: Read community notes

Preparing this rice and chicken one-pot meal from “My Everyday Lagos: Nigerian Cooking at Home and in the Diaspora” by Yewande Komolafe (Ten Speed Press, 2023) is an experience: the rich fragrances of these ingredients will slowly fill your kitchen as the rice softens. Iwuk edesi is a dish rooted in Efik and Ibibio cuisine, a gift from the southeastern region of the country. It is often found on buka menus and is sometimes called “native rice.” If you use another type of meat, the cooking times may differ, but the method essentially stays the same. This is a solid standalone meal, best enjoyed straight off the stove, but is equally satisfying the next day as leftovers.

Featured in: The Flavor of Lagos, in 3 Recipes

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

For the Pepper Paste

1 to 2yellow or red Scotch bonnet chiles or red habanero chiles
1tablespoon whole crayfish or dried shrimp, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes until plump, then drained, or ½ tablespoon ground crayfish
¼teaspoon fresh or dried irú, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained

For the Chicken and Rice

¼cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
3pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
Fine salt to taste
1tablespoon grated ginger
2garlic cloves, smashed
½cup red palm oil
2cups long-grain white rice
2¼ cups chicken stock
4cups torn hearty greens, such as ugwu, mature spinach, collards or kale
½small red onion, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Make the pepper paste: Working in batches if necessary, use a mortar and pestle to combine the Scotch bonnet chiles and crayfish. Pound to a coarse paste. Add the irú and pound further until incorporated to a smooth paste. Alternatively, do this step in a food processor and pulse to combine the ingredients until finely chopped. The pepper paste can be stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.
Step 2
Prepare the chicken and rice: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium until shimmering, 1 to 2 minutes. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season both sides generously with salt. Working in batches, if necessary, place the chicken pieces skin side down in the pot and sear until deep golden brown on both sides, about 12 minutes total. (The chicken will not be cooked through.) Move the seared pieces to a plate and set aside.
Step 3
Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir until fragrant. Stir in the palm oil and pepper paste, and then the rice. Stir to coat every grain of rice in the seasoned oil. Add the stock. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen up any stuck bits, season with salt, and bring to a simmer.
Step 4
Transfer the chicken to the pot skin side up, along with any liquid from the plate. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the chicken is cooked through, about 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in the greens and allow to wilt and soften, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for another 10 minutes. Carefully fluff the rice with a fork. Divide the rice and chicken among plates, sprinkle on the red onion, and serve warm.

Tip

Irú, a fermented locust bean product frequently used in West African cooking, can be found as a ground powder or whole beans in the spice aisles of any African grocer. Possible alternatives are fish sauce or fermented black beans.

Ratings

4 out of 5

271 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Jay8 months ago

I substituted 1 Tbs Japanese miso paste for the 1 Tbs minced dried shrimp and 1/4 tsp irú. I think the miso (which I had on hand) provides a nice umami flavor

Christine8 months ago

I didn't see an explanation, but perhaps the author trusted our industriousness. Per Google, Irú is fermented locust beans.

Mary Anna8 months ago

I googled and found its fermented locust beans that are added for major umami (like mushroom powder). https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/products/iru-fermented-locust-beans

Lisa Braithwaite8 months ago

The information is right at the bottom of the recipe: "Irú, a fermented locust bean product frequently used in West African cooking, can be found as a ground powder or whole beans in the spice aisles of any African grocer. Possible alternatives are fish sauce or fermented black beans."

Elle8 months ago

Is there a substitute for the entirety of the pepper paste? Can I just buy something?

Aaron8 months ago

It's fermented locust beans, I googled it. I have never seen this and don't know what a good substitute would be (maybe Chinese fermented black beans?)

Jay8 months ago

Substitute 1 Tbs Japanese miso paste for the shellfish (and irú). Miso has a great umami flavor.

Jen8 months ago

It's the Tip at the bottom of the steps. Also provides possible alternatives.

Genevieve8 months ago

For those having trouble, irú: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iru_(food).

Shorty Attentionspan8 months ago

What is the point of pouring off the rendered chicken fat and then replacing it with red palm oil?

NewYorker8 months ago

What is red palm oil and where do you get it? Any substitutes? So this recipe calls for 3/4 cups of oil plus the fat rendered from the chicken? Sounds like too much for me. Iru and its possible substitutions are given in the tips. No need to google. Other substitutions for exotic ingredients would be appreciated.

Ellen8 months ago

Anyone have a substitute for making the paste, for single parents in a hurry?

Aussie in Denver8 months ago

Reddit to the rescue. Commentators are saying that any bouillon cube will do. Or Chinese Douchi. https://www.reddit.com/r/Nigeria/comments/k8508o/is_there_a_substitute_ingredient_for_irulocust/ https://www.reddit.com/r/West_African_Food/comments/rju3yb/what_can_i_use_instead_of_locust_beansiru/

Véronique8 months ago

All the ingredients can be easily found on Amazon with multiple choices.

Stephen F7 months ago

This recipe calls for irû. Other recipes of West African provenance found in the NYT and elsewhere call for dawadawa. I'm no authority on African cooking, but I am 99 percent certain that they are different names for the same thing (fermented locust beans). So, if you ran down dawadawa for another recipe as I did (vegetable maafé), don't bother looking for irû. You already have it.

kristen5 months ago

I used ghee instead with some annatto for colour. Palm oil is an incredibly destructive product and should not be used when there are alternatives available

Omolara5 months ago

For everyone asking about substitutions or where to get ingredients - nigerian ingredients have very distinctive tastes so there are NOT any good substitutions for any of these ingredients that will leave you with an authentic recipe --- however I recommend visiting your local african/carribean market as these are commonly found there (there are also online african markets - would NOT recommend amazon unless seller specifies where ingredients are sourced from)

Lakelady6 months ago

I made this after hearing Yewande interviewed on The Sporkful. It’s a totally new taste for me, and it was like making a new friend. I ordered the iru and the palm oil, used fish oil for the fish. Because I don’t like things quite this hot and could not find scotch bonnet peppers, I just used about 1/2 a jalapeño. Next time I’ll be braver about the heat. My husband and I both loved this!

Sylvia6 months ago

Regarding the question about Palm Oil, it is a flavorful addition, which to me tastes like bamboo smells. It is the distinctive flavor which elevates Brazilian Moqueca from a coconut based stew to a unique dish.

Al R.6 months ago

Following the instructions everything but the chicken was finished and the chicken needed another half hour in a dutch oven.

Jefair7 months ago

We like West African food. This was fine but far from great. I followed the recipe exactly, using the dried shrimp option and all the unusual ingredients. Despite containing two scotch bonnets, seeds and all, the dish had little fire. The flavors of all ingredients came through, but the predominant one was the red palm oil, which for me always has a slightly unpleasant petrochemical aspect. Some love it; I can tolerate it; as the main flavor in a dish, it leaves me wishing I'd chosen better.

Lakelady7 months ago

A completely new and delicious experience for us. This is so good I ate too much! I ordered the iru from Amazon, later found that Burlap and Barrel has it. I substituted fish sauce for the crayfish, and turned the pepper heat down too far. I then added some chili crunch for serving. Next time: this needs 1/2 cup more liquid to get the rice done, could use a little less palm oil, maybe 1/3 cup, and go for one whole scotch bonnet pepper!

Monika7 months ago

I used lacinato kale for the greens. Substituted the scotch bonnet with diablo grande pepper to reduce the heat and medium grain rice rather than the long grain, otherwise followed the recipe as written. The kale holds up nicely. It took longer than 20 minutes to get the rice soft and I added some of the left over liquid from soaking the shrimp and iru. The dish is a little too oily though very tasty. Next time reducing palm oil, increasing kale and doubling pepper shrimp iru paste

Jennifer7 months ago

Made this dish and loved it. I substituted 5 anchovies for the dried shrimp as I couldn’t buy shrimp, and used fish sauce instead of iru. Also used the rendered chicken fat instead of palm oil, as it seemed way too much. Would like to know how it turned out for anyone else using the palm oil. Is it three-quarters of a cup or 3-4 cups ? Finally I placed in chunks of sweet potato and carrot with the chicken for final step to make it a one-pot complete meal - eat the colours of the rainbow.

Monika7 months ago

I used the palm oil. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup. It's solid at room temperature and a nice orange color and has a very slight carrot taste. The finished dish, though tasty, was too greasy for me. I think you could safely substitute the chicken fat like you did or use another oil without changing the taste though you wouldn't get the color. Maybe add some annatto if you want the color.

Stephen F7 months ago

Eileen7 months ago

I made iwuk edesi with a couple substitutions- I used fish sauce instead of iru and powdered crayfish, canola oil instead of red palm, and instead of a scotch bonnet pepper I used a poblano and 3 jalepenos (I was emptying out my fridge!). But my husband liked it, and said he usually didn’t like the greens but this time he did. So I am going to make it again on a monthly basis! Win!

Melissa7 months ago

I ordered all the ingredients from Amazon -- they had all of them! I'm curious if this dish is really spicy with the Scotch Bonnet peppers. Is it?

Erin8 months ago

I can't vouch for accuracy or authenticity of flavor but I did also (in addition to the above comments) see MSG as cited as a possible substitute for irú. Anyone?

Neel7 months ago

Cooked this tonight and it is one of my favorite dishes off of NYT. Don't be afraid of the specialty ingredients --- everything was available off Amazon and arrived to me within 1-2 days. This was unbelievably flavorful and aesthetically beautiful --- looked exactly like the picture. Think of this like a chicken biryani! This was a great intro for me to Nigerian food and makes me want to learn more. Thank you, Yewande.

GG7 months ago

I had a Jamaican scotch bonnet hot sauce I used to sub the actual scotch bonnet with some miso and fish sauce. Had to get creative to make this tonight but will search for the ingredients at the local African market next time I shop. Turned out lovely.

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