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Superkanja (Gambian okra stew)
Supakanja: The Gambia's thick okra and palm-oil stew with fish, beef and locust beans
Superkanja is one of The Gambia's best-loved stews, cooked in compounds from Banjul to the river villages and always served with plain white rice. Okra is simmered and beaten into a thick, glossy stew with red palm oil, beef, fish and nététou, the pungent fermented locust beans that give West African cooking its deep savoury base. Smoked or dried fish adds smokiness, Scotch bonnets bring the heat, and the whole thing is slippery, rich and earthy. If you cannot find nététou, iru or dawadawa from African shops do the same job. Chef's tip: beat the okra vigorously with a wooden spoon for the last few minutes of cooking; that beating is what turns it into the smooth, cohesive kanja rather than a loose soup.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb stewing beefin 2 cm chunks
- 2 onionschopped
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 14 oz firm white fish fillete.g. barracuda or catfish, in large chunks
- 5 ½ oz smoked or dried fishskin and bones removed, flaked
- 1 ⅛ lb fresh okratops trimmed, sliced
- ½ cup red palm oil
- 1 tbsp nététou (fermented locust beans)or iru/dawadawa, mashed
- 2 Scotch bonnet chillieswhole, or chopped for more heat
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb stewing beef, 1 onions, 1 ½ tsp salt and 4 ¼ cups water in a large pot. Bring to the boil, then simmer covered until the beef is nearly tender.
35 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb fresh okra, the rest of 1 onions, 1 tbsp nététou (fermented locust beans) and 2 Scotch bonnet chillies and simmer, stirring often, until the okra is soft and the liquid thickens and turns slippery.
12 minStep 3: Stir in ½ cup red palm oil and ½ tsp ground black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes until the stew turns a deep orange-red.
5 minStep 4: Lay in 14 oz firm white fish fillet and 5 ½ oz smoked or dried fish and simmer gently, without stirring, until the fresh fish is opaque and flakes easily. Stirring at this stage is a common mistake that breaks the fish into shreds.
6 minStep 5: Lift the fish out carefully, then beat the okra stew hard with a wooden spoon until it is smooth, thick and glossy. Return the fish.
3 minStep 6: Taste for salt and serve hot over white rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does superkanja (Gambian okra stew) take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
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