A generous, silky, and fragrant Senegalese classic, where okra melts into a vibrant red palm oil sauce loaded with fish, seafood, and meat. Served piping hot over plain white rice, this is a deeply flavorful, family-style, and comforting stew.
Ingredients
- 300 g long grain white rice
- 600 g fresh okra
- 400 g beef stew meat
- 400 g firm white fish fillets
- 200 g raw peeled shrimp
- 300 g crab pieces
- 120 g African smoked fish
- 50 g salted dried fish
- 12 cl unrefined red palm oil
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 piece fresh Scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 piece fresh red chile pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground nététou
- 1 piece vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- to taste fine sea salt
- to taste ground black pepper
- 1.5 l water
Method
- Rinse the salted dried fish to remove excess salt, then soak it in water while prepping the other ingredients; it should soften without losing its ocean flavor.
- Cut the stewing beef into uniform pieces, place in a large Dutch oven or pot with the chopped onion, bay leaf, black pepper, bouillon cube, and water, then bring to a gentle simmer until the meat starts to become tender.
- Pound or blend the garlic with the red chile pepper, nététou, and a pinch of salt into a fragrant paste; stir it into the pot along with the tomato paste, and simmer until the raw tomato taste subsides.
- Add the drained salted dried fish, flaked smoked fish in large chunks, and red palm oil, then simmer gently until the sauce takes on a deep reddish hue and the oil infuses the broth.
- Finely mince the okra with a knife or grate it to release its mucilage, then stir it into the pot; stir well at first, then let it thicken into a smooth, slightly viscous texture.
- Drop the whole Scotch bonnet chile into the sauce without piercing the skin, then add the crab pieces and simmer gently until the briny seafood aromas blend into the okra sauce.
- Add the firm white fish pieces and shrimp near the end of cooking, then poach gently until the fish is just opaque and the shrimp are firm yet juicy.
- Adjust seasoning with salt to taste, remove the Scotch bonnet if you prefer moderate heat, and remove the pot from the heat to rest for a couple of minutes until the surface is glossy and the sauce is fully emulsified.
- While the sauce rests, boil the long grain rice in water until tender and fluffy, then ladle the hot soupou kandia generously over the rice with plenty of sauce.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 547.4 kcal
- Protein
- 45.22 g
- Carbohydrate
- 39.99 g
- Fat
- 23.01 g
- Fibre
- 3.77 g
- Calcium
- 72.81 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 90.54 mg
