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Sauce pistache
Sauce pistache: Ivorian ground melon-seed stew with smoked fish, tomato and chilli
In Côte d'Ivoire, 'pistache' means the creamy white seeds of a wild melon (the same family as West African egusi), and sauce pistache is a beloved stew of the Baoulé and Abidjan home kitchens, served for Sunday lunch with foutou, rice or attiéké. The ground seeds are mixed with water into a paste, then simmered with smoked fish, beef or chicken, tomato and chilli until they set into soft, savoury curds in a rich orange sauce. The usual mistake is stirring as soon as the seed paste goes in, which breaks it into grainy specks; leave it alone for 10 minutes so it can form lumps. Fish is done when it flakes easily. Chef's tip: toast the seed flour very lightly in a dry pan before mixing, for a nuttier, deeper sauce.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz stewing beefcut into 3 cm pieces
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 ¾ cups water
- ¾ cup cold water
- 3 tbsp palm oil or vegetable oil
- 3 tomatoesblended
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 scotch bonnet chillileft whole
- 7 oz smoked fish (mackerel or catfish)skin and bones removed, flaked into chunks
- 1 tsp fish stock powder
To serve
- 4 portions cooked rice or foutou
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz stewing beef, half the 1 onion, 1 tsp salt and 3 ¾ cups water in a pot. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 35 minutes until the beef is nearly tender.
40 minStep 2: Mix the 7 oz ground egusi or pistache melon seeds with ¾ cup cold water and the rest of the 1 onion into a thick paste.
3 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp palm oil or vegetable oil in a wide pot and fry 3 tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato purée for 8 minutes until the sauce darkens and the oil rises.
8 minStep 4: Add the beef and its broth, 1 scotch bonnet chilli and 1 tsp fish stock powder and bring to a simmer.
3 minStep 5: Drop the seed paste into the pot in spoonfuls. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes without stirring, until the paste sets into soft curds.
10 minStep 6: Stir gently, add 7 oz smoked fish (mackerel or catfish) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and a little oil pools on top. The fish should flake easily. Remove the whole chilli if you want less heat. Serve with 4 portions cooked rice or foutou.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sauce pistache take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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